Femtocell service through a secondary connection

ABSTRACT

System(s), apparatus(es), and method(s) are provided to for providing femtocell service through a secondary connection to a network gateway node that is part of a service provider network. The secondary connection can be established in response to at least one telecommunication performance condition of a primary connection to the network gateway node; the at least one performance condition includes connectivity state of the primary connection or quality of traffic delivery through the primary connection. The secondary connection can be established, in part, via a home gateway node that is alternative to a home gateway node associated with a femtocell access point (AP) that enables, in part, the femtocell wireless service. The main home gateway node or the femtocell AP can initiate establishment of the secondary connection. Home gateway node(s) or femtocell AP(s) that can provide femtocell service through the secondary connection can manage connectivity with the network gateway node.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of, and claims priority to, U.S.patent application Ser. No. 12/845,131 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,750,098),filed on Jul. 28, 2010, and entitled “FEMTOCELL SERVICE THROUGH ASECONDARY CONNECTION,” the entirety of which is incorporated herein byreference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The subject disclosure relates to telecommunication networks and, moreparticularly, to providing femtocell service through a secondarytelecommunication channel.

BACKGROUND

Network operators generally provide voice and data services, such asdigital television, internet protocol (IP) television, media on demand,and voice over internet protocol (VoIP) communications, over broadbandinternet access. To provide voice or data services, network operatorstypically install customer premises equipment (CPE) that serves as ahome gateway node. When the connection between the home gateway node andwide area network element(s) that provide the voice or data services isinoperable or unstable, or the home gateway node malfunctions, allcommunication between subscriber premises and service provider networkare generally lost or compromised.

In certain telecommunication networks that provide wireless service,network operators deploy access points within subscriber premises tooffload macrocell wireless traffic or to improve macrocell servicewithin the subscriber premises. Such access points are commonly deployedin area(s) where macrocell traffic is heavy or frequently congested, orwireless signals associated with macrocell wireless service is weak anddeployment of additional macrocells may not be economically feasible. Torelay traffic and signaling from subscriber devices to the serviceprovider network, the access points within the subscriber premisestypically connect to the service provider network via home gatewaynode(s); the communication link amongst a subscriber device and anaccess point is wireless, and the connection to the service providernetwork is over a broadband network connection. In conventionaltelecommunication networks, when the broadband network connection iscompromised (lost, unstable, underperforming, etc.) or when a homegateway node associated with the broadband network connectionmalfunctions, wireless service provided through an access point deployedin subscriber premises and linked to the home gateway node fails—e.g.,current call sessions are lost and new call sessions are then routedthrough macrocell. Accordingly, commercial viability and acceptableperceived quality of service of a deployment of access points thatsupplement or complement wireless service(s) of a macrocell deploymentis dictated largely by the reliability of broadband network connectionand home gateway node(s) associated with such access points.

SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary of the subject disclosure inorder to provide a basic understanding of some aspects thereof. Thissummary is not an extensive overview of the various embodiments of thesubject disclosure. It is intended to neither identify key or criticalelements of the subject disclosure nor delineate any scope thereof. Thesole purpose of the subject summary is to present some concepts in asimplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that ispresented hereinafter.

One or more embodiments of the subject disclosure provide system(s),apparatus(es), and method(s) for providing femtocell service through asecondary connection to a network gateway node that is part of a serviceprovider network. The secondary connection can be established inresponse to at least one telecommunication performance condition of aprimary connection to the network gateway node; the at least oneperformance condition includes connectivity state of the primaryconnection (e.g., a backhaul link connection) or quality of trafficdelivery (data rate, error rate, etc.) through the primary connection.The secondary connection can be established, at least in part, via ahome gateway node that is alternative (e.g., neighboring) to a homegateway node associated with a femtocell access point (AP) that enables,in part, the femtocell wireless service. The main home gateway node ofthe femtocell AP can initiate establishment of the secondary connection.A home gateway node or a femtocell AP that initiates establishment ofthe secondary connection can monitor telecommunication performance ofthe primary connection to the network gateway node. In addition, suchhome gateway node or such femtocell AP can determine at least one homegateway node that can configure, at least in part, the secondaryconnection. Home gateway node(s) or femtocell AP(s) that can providefemtocell service through the secondary connection can enableprovisioning of at least one of a set of home gateway nodes or a set offemtocell APs. A home gateway node in the set of home gateway nodes or afemtocell AP in the set of femtocell APs is configured to establish, atleast in part, the secondary connection. Moreover, the home gatewaynode(s) or the femtocell AP(s) can manage (add, remove, switch, etc.)connectivity with the network gateway node.

The numerous aspects and features of the subject disclosure provide atleast the following advantages with respect to conventional femtocellnetworks: (i) Improved subscriber experience and associated perceivedquality of service. (ii) Reduced subscriber attrition. (iii) Enhancedrobustness of telecommunication network design; particularly, though notexclusively, “femtocell to wide area network (WAN)” design. In addition,the numerous aspects or features described herein are superior tosolution(s) for always-on femtocell connectivity that relies onconnection amongst disparate femtocell access points or connectionamongst a wireless device served by a primary femto AP and a secondaryfemto AP.

Aspects, features, or advantages of the subject disclosure are networkand radio technology agnostic, and can be exploited in substantially anynetwork and through most any or any wireless communication technology.For example, Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity), Worldwide Interoperability forMicrowave Access (WiMAX); IS-95; Enhanced General Packet Radio Service(Enhanced GPRS); Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long TermEvolution (LTE); Third Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2) UltraMobile Broadband (UMB); 3GPP Universal Mobile Telecommunication System(UMTS); High Speed Packet Access (HSPA); High Speed Downlink PacketAccess (HSDPA); High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA), or LTEAdvanced. Additionally, substantially all or all aspects of the subjectdisclosure can include legacy telecommunication technologies.

While various aspects, features, or advantages of the subject disclosureare illustrated in reference to femtocell (femto) access point(s), suchaspects and features also can be exploited in other types ofconfined-coverage access points (e.g., home-based access point(s),enterprise-based access point(s)) that provide wireless coverage to aconfined wireless environment through substantially any or any disparatetelecommunication technologies such as, but not limited to, Wi-Fi orpicocell telecommunication. Likewise, various aspects, features, oradvantages of the subject disclosure are described in connection with ahome gateway node. However, such aspects, features, or advantages, canbe accomplished for substantially any customer premise equipment (CPE)that serves as a local gateway device or local gateway node for aconfined-coverage AP, even though such CPE can be deployed in anenterprise facility (e.g., a factory, an office building . . . ) ratherthan a home.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the subjectdisclosure, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described.The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detailcertain illustrative aspects of one or more embodiments of thedisclosure. However, these aspects are indicative of but a few of thevarious ways in which the principles of the subject disclosure may beemployed. Other aspects, advantages and novel features of the subjectdisclosure will become apparent from the following detailed descriptionof various example embodiments of the subject disclosure when consideredin conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic deployment of a macrocells and femtocellsfor wireless service coverage in accordance with aspects of the subjectdisclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example system that enables and exploits femtocellservice through a secondary connection in accordance with aspectsdescribed herein.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example embodiment of a femtocell AP that canretain femtocell wireless service in accordance with aspects disclosedherein.

FIGS. 4-5 illustrate example embodiments of a home gateway node thatenables retention of femtocell wireless service in accordance withaspects of the subject disclosure.

FIG. 6 represents an example embodiment of a gateway node that enablesretention of femtocell wireless service in accordance with aspectsdescribed herein.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example embodiment of example OSS/BSS inaccordance with aspects described herein.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example method for providing femtocell servicethrough a secondary channel according to an aspect of the subjectdisclosure.

FIGS. 9-10 represents example methods for establishing atelecommunication channel through a secondary backhaul link connectionaccording to aspects described herein.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example method for enabling a telecommunicationchannel with a femtocell through a secondary backhaul link connectionaccording to aspects described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The subject disclosure is now described with reference to the drawings,wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elementsthroughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation,numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the present disclosure. It may be evident, however,that the present disclosure may be practiced without these specificdetails. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shownin block diagram form in order to facilitate describing the presentdisclosure.

As employed in this specification and annexed drawings, the terms“component,” “system,” “platform,” “interface,” “node,” “coder,”“decoder”, “layer,” and the like are intended to refer to acomputer-related entity or an entity related to an operational apparatuswith one or more specific functionalities, wherein the such entities canbe either hardware, a combination of hardware and software, software, orsoftware in execution. One or more of such entities are also referred toherein as “functional elements.” As an example, a component may be, butis not limited to being, a process running on a processor, a processor,a memory, a code object, an executable code instruction, a thread ofexecution, a program, and/or a computer. By way of illustration, both anapplication running on a server and the server can be a component. Oneor more components may reside within a process and/or thread ofexecution and a component may be localized on one computer and/ordistributed between two or more computers. In addition, these componentscan execute from various computer readable media having various datastructures or code instructions stored thereon. The components maycommunicate via local and/or remote processes such as in accordance witha signal having one or more data packets (e.g., data from one componentinteracting with another component in a local system, distributedsystem, and/or across a network such as the Internet with other systemsvia the signal). As another example, a component can be an apparatuswith specific functionality provided by mechanical parts operated byelectric or electronic circuitry which is operated by a software or afirmware application executed by a processor, wherein the processor canbe internal or external to the apparatus and executes at least a part ofthe software or firmware application. As yet another example, acomponent can be an apparatus that provides specific functionalitythrough electronic components without mechanical parts, the electroniccomponents can include a processor therein to execute software orfirmware that provides at least in part the functionality of theelectronic components. As further yet another example, interface(s) caninclude input/output (I/O) components as well as associated processor,application, or Application Programming Interface (API) components.While the foregoing examples are directed to aspects of a component, theexemplified aspects or features also apply to a system, platform,interface, node, driver, coder, decoder, layer, and the like.

In addition, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” ratherthan an exclusive “or.” That is, unless specified otherwise, or clearfrom context, “X employs A or B” is intended to mean any of the naturalinclusive permutations. That is, if X employs A; X employs B; or Xemploys both A and B, then “X employs A or B” is satisfied under any ofthe foregoing instances. Moreover, articles “a” and “an” as used in thesubject specification and annexed drawings should generally be construedto mean “one or more” unless specified otherwise or clear from contextto be directed to a singular form.

Moreover, terms like “user equipment,” “mobile station,” “mobile,”subscriber station,” “subscriber equipment,” “access terminal,”“terminal,” “handset,” and similar terminology, refer to a wirelessdevice utilized by a subscriber or user of a wireless communicationservice to receive or convey data, control, voice, video, sound, gaming,or substantially any data-stream or signaling-stream. The foregoingterms are utilized interchangeably in the subject specification andrelated drawings. Likewise, the terms “access point (AP);” “basestation,” “Node B;” “evolved Node B (eNode B);” “home Node B (HNB)” or“home access point (HAP),” which include femtocell access point,picocell access point, Wi-Fi base station . . . ; and the like, areutilized interchangeably in the subject application, and refer to awireless network component or apparatus that at least delivers andreceives data, control, voice, video, sound, gaming, or substantiallyany or any data stream or signaling stream. Sources or recipients ofsuch data, control, voice, video, sound, gaming, or substantially any orany data stream or signaling stream can be at least a set of networkcomponents such as, but not limited to, user equipment, customerpremises equipment, or network servers, controllers, gateways ormanagement components. Data and signaling streams can be packetized orframe-based flows. It is noted that context in the subject specificationgenerally distinguishes amongst a base station that provides or isintended to provide primarily outdoor wireless coverage and afacility-based access point (e.g., femtocell AP) that provides or isintended to provide primarily indoor wireless coverage or outdoorwireless coverage within a confined range. Explicit distinction betweenindoor-serving AP and outdoor-serving base station is made when contextmay be insufficient to distinguish the utilized terms.

Furthermore, the terms “user,” “subscriber,” “customer,” “consumer,” andthe like are employed interchangeably throughout the subjectspecification, unless context warrants particular distinction(s) amongthe terms. It should be appreciated that such terms can refer to humanagent(s) or automated component(s) supported through artificialintelligence (e.g., a capacity to make inference based on complexmathematical formalisms) which can provide simulated vision, soundrecognition and so forth.

Further yet, the term “set” as employed herein excludes the empty set.Thus, a “set” in the subject disclosure includes one or more elements orentities. As an illustration, a set of gateway nodes includes one ormore gateway nodes; a set of access points includes K access points withK a natural number greater than or equal to unity; a set of backhaullinks spans one or more backhaul links; etc. In addition, as employedherein, the term “subset” can include the empty set unless otherwisenoted, as in cases in which, for instance, disclosure of a subset of oneor more entities is intended to expressly exclude the empty subset.

Calls referred to and described in the subject disclosure, e.g.,incoming calls or call sessions, include voice communications and datacommunications, such as multimedia communications (video call, textmessage, audio communication, data communication, etc.). In addition,the various devices referred to and described herein include anycommunication devices, such as cellphones, wireline telephones, personalcomputers, portable computers (e.g., netbooks or laptops), personaldigital assistants (PDAs), Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG)-1 AudioLayer 3 (MP3) players, set top boxes, television sets (TVs), stereoplayers, radio tuners (satellite-signal based or conventional), gamingboxes (set top or portable), digital video recorders (DVRs), or thelike.

Features or aspects described in the subject disclosure can rely, atleast in part, on delivery or reception of directive(s), indication(s),request(s), or the like, and information or payload data (e.g.,content(s)) associated therewith. Directive(s) can be embodied inmulti-bit words (e.g., P-bit words, with P a positive integer) and codedto specifically convey a request to a particular functional element(e.g., a femtocell AP) in order to execute one or more specificoperation. Information or payload data within signaling, and request(s)or indication(s) conveyed therein, can be embodied, for example, in oneor more reserved bits in a packet header, a light-payload (e.g., of theorder of 1 byte) data packet, a predetermined multi-bit word conveyed ina control channel, a lightweight file (e.g., a cookie), an emailcommunication, an instant message, or the like. In addition,directive(s), request(s), indication(s), or the like, as describedherein, can be delivered in accordance with various communicationprotocols. As an example, the various protocols can include at least oneof file transfer protocol (FTP), secure shell FTP (SFTP), FTP oversecure socket layer (FTPS), short message service (SMS) protocol,multimedia messaging service (MMS) protocol, unstructured supplementaryservice data (USSD) standard, simple network management protocol (SNMP),lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP), session initiationprotocol (SIP), SIP for Instant Messaging and Presence LeveragingExtensions (SIMPLE), Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) device management (DM)protocol, Technical Report 069 (TR-069) protocol, also referred to asCustomer Premise Equipment (CPE) Wide Area Network (WAN) ManagementProtocol or CWMP, or the like.

While aspects or features of the subject disclosure are illustrated interms of applicability to femtocell access points, such aspects andfeatures are also applicable to, and can be exploited in, other radioaccess points such as Wi-Fi APs, picocell base station, microcell basestations, or the like, which may provide greater radio access capacity.

Various illustrative scenarios are set forth herein to represent exampleoperational environments that exploit one or more features of femtocellservice preservation through secondary connections as described herein,and reveal the utility of such one or more features. The variousillustrative scenarios are, of course, not exhaustive of the multipleoperational environments in which the one or more features described inthe subject disclosure can be exploited. In addition, the variousillustrative scenarios and related examples are intended to benon-limiting, without restricting the applicability or utility of thevarious embodiments of systems and methods described herein, or anymodification or variations thereof. Various scenarios or embodiments ofsystems and apparatuses (femtocell AP, home gateway node, etc.) arepresented in terms of systems that may include a number of devices,components, modules, and the like. However, it is to be understood andappreciated that the various of the described systems and apparatusesmay include additional devices, components, modules, etc., or may notinclude all of the devices, components, modules, etc., discussed inconnection with the annexed drawings. A combination of these approachesto present the various scenarios or embodiments of the subjectdisclosure also can be used.

With respect to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic deploymentof a macrocells and femtocells for wireless service coverage inaccordance with aspects of the subject disclosure. In wirelessenvironment 100, two areas 105 represent macrocell (macro) coverage;each macrocell is served by a base station 110, which includes a set ofone or more antennas 112 and various equipment or apparatuses 114 thatenable operation of the base station 110. It should be appreciated thatmacrocells 105 are illustrated as hexagons; however, macrocells canadopt other geometries generally dictated by the deployment or floorplan, geographic areas to be covered (e.g., a metropolitan statisticalarea (MSA) or rural statistical area (RSA)), and so on. Macro coverageis generally intended to serve mobile wireless devices, like UE 120_(A), in primarily outdoor locations. An over-the-air wireless link 115provides such coverage; the wireless link 115 comprises a downlink (DL)and an uplink (UL), and utilizes a predetermined band of the radiofrequency (RF) spectrum. As an example, UE 120 _(A) can be a ThirdGeneration Partnership Project (3GPP) Universal Mobile TelecommunicationSystem (UMTS) mobile phone. It is noted that a base station, itsassociated electronics, circuitry or components, and a wireless linkoperated in accordance to the base station form a radio access network(RAN). In addition, base station 110 communicates with macro networkplatform 108 via backhaul link(s) 151 through one or more components(e.g., radio network controller(s), aggregator component(s) . . . ) thatare part of access network(s) 152; aspects and deployment of the one ormore components are dictated by the underlying radio technology employedfor telecommunication. In cellular wireless technologies (e.g., 3rdGeneration Partnership Project (3GPP) Universal Mobile TelecommunicationSystem (UMTS), Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM)), macronetwork platform 108 represents a core network (CN). In an aspect, macronetwork platform 108 controls a set of base stations 110 that serveeither respective cells or a number of sectors within such cells. Macronetwork platform 108 also communicates with other base stations (notshown) that serve other cells (not shown). Backhaul link(s) 151 caninclude a wired backbone link (e.g., optical fiber backbone,twisted-pair line, T1/E1 phone line, a digital subscriber line (DSL)either synchronous or asynchronous, an asymmetric ADSL, or a coaxialcable . . . ). Backhaul pipe(s) 155 link disparate base stations 110.

In wireless environment 100, within one or more macrocells 105, a set offemtocells 125 served by respective femtocell (femto) access points(APs) 130 can be deployed; in the subject disclosure, femtocell 125 isalso referred to as confined coverage area 125. While in illustrativewireless environment 100 three femtocells are deployed per macrocell,aspects of the subject innovation are geared to femtocell deploymentswith substantive femto AP density, e.g., 10⁴-10⁸ femto APs 130 per basestations 110. A femtocell 125 typically covers an area that includesconfined area 145, which is determined, at least in part, bytransmission power allocated to femto AP 130, path loss, shadowing, andso forth. While coverage area associated with femtocell 125 and confinedarea 145 typically coincide, it should be appreciated that in certaindeployment scenarios, confined coverage area 125 can include an outdoorportion (e.g., a parking lot, a patio deck, a recreation area such as aswimming pool and nearby space) while area 145 spans an enclosed livingspace or residence space. The coverage area associated with femtocell125 typically is spanned by a coverage radius, or coverage range, thatranges from 20 to 100 meters. The confined coverage area 125 canencompass a setting that can span about 5000 sq. ft., and can include aresidential dwelling, a business space, an entertainment area, a worshiparea, an educational facility, a wellness area, a hospital, etc., andaccess to wireless service typically is regulated. In addition or in thealternative, instead of being stationary, the confined coverage area 125can be mobile; for example, it can be part of a vehicle (a car, anelevator, an aircraft, a vessel, etc.). It should be noted that theconfined coverage area is substantially smaller, e.g., 1-3 orders ofmagnitude smaller, than a macrocell 105.

In the subject disclosure, a confined coverage area, such as confinedcoverage area 125, embodies a confined wireless environment, which, asindicated supra, can include indoor space, outdoor space, or acombination thereof. In addition, femtocell AP (e.g., 130) or any othertype of access point (e.g., Wi-Fi AP, picocell AP) that serves theconfined coverage area (e.g., 125) is referred to as confined-coverageAP, to denote that such an AP provides wireless service coverage to aconfined wireless environment. Moreover, a confined-coverage APtransmits electromagnetic radiation (e.g., radiates) at lower power thana base station intended for outdoor coverage and that serves amacrocell. In an aspect, an AP (e.g., femtocell AP, picocell, Wi-Fi AP)that serves the confined coverage area (e.g., 125) can be deployedwithin the indoor space (e.g., within a building or structure) that theAP serves; outdoor space that is part of the confined coverage area(e.g., confined coverage area 125) also is served by the AP. In yetanother aspect, an AP that covers the confined coverage area (e.g., 125)can be deployed in the outdoor space that the AP serves; in certaindeployments the AP can be mounted on or attached to non-residentialstructure present in the outdoor space that is part of the confinedarea. A confined coverage area (e.g., confined coverage area 125)referred to in the subject disclosure is owned or leased by the owner orlessee of the AP that serves the confined coverage area; where the AP isdeployed as part of structure (mobile or stationary) within theconfined-coverage area.

A femto AP 130 typically serves a few (for example, 1-5) wirelessdevices (e.g., subscriber station 120 _(B)) within confined coveragearea 125 via a wireless link 135 which encompasses a downlink (DL) andan uplink (UL). A femto network platform 109 can control such service,in addition to mobility handover from macro-to-femto handover and viceversa, and registration and provisioning of femto APs. Control, ormanagement, is facilitated by backhaul link(s) 153 that connect deployedfemto APs 130 with femto network platform 109 through one or morecomponents of access network(s) 152. The one or more components caninclude a network interface device (NID), a gateway node, a digitalsubscriber line (DSL) access multiplexer (DSLAM), or the like. Inaddition, the one or more components of access network(s) 152 can befunctionally coupled to an access aggregator node, which can be embodiedin a broadband remote access server (B-RAS); such aggregator nodegenerally is functionally coupled to a femtocell gateway node (notshown) deployed (e.g., installed, configured, and active) within femtonetwork platform 109. Backhaul pipe(s) 153 are substantially the same asbackhaul link(s) 151. In UMTS-based radio technology, backhaul link 150is embodied, at least in part, in Iuh interface.

In an aspect of the subject innovation, part of the control effected byfemto AP 130 is based on measurements of radio link conditions and otherperformance metrics. Femto network platform 109 also includescomponents, e.g., nodes, gateways, and interfaces, that facilitatespacket-switched (PS) (e.g., internet protocol (IP)) traffic andsignaling generation for networked telecommunication. It should beappreciated that femto network platform 109 can be femto AP 130 canintegrate seamlessly with substantially any packet switched (PS)-basedand circuit switched (CS)-based network such as macro network platform108. Thus, operation with a wireless device such as 120_(A) issubstantially straightforward and seamless when handover fromfemto-to-macro, or vice versa, takes place. As an example, femto AP 130can integrate into an existing 3GPP Core Network via conventionalinterfaces, or reference links, such as Iu-CS, Iu-PS, Gi, or Gn. Inaddition, femto AP 130 can serve a mobile device that operates inaccordance with 3GPP radio technology(ies) without dedicatedfunctionality, such as Wi-Fi transceivers.

It is to be noted that substantially all voice or data active sessionsassociated with subscribers within femtocell wireless coverage (e.g.,confined coverage area 125) are terminated once the femto AP 130 is shutdown; in case of data sessions, data can be recovered at least in partthrough a buffer (e.g., a memory) associated with a femto gateway at thefemto network platform. Coverage of a suspended or hotlined subscriberstation or associated account can be blocked over the air-interface.However, if a suspended or hotlined customer who owns a femto AP 130 isin Hotline/Suspend status, there is no substantive impact to thecustomers covered through the subject femto AP 130. In another aspect,femto AP 130 can exploit high-speed downlink packet access either via aninterface with macro network platform 108 or through femto networkplatform 109 in order to accomplish substantive bitrates.

In addition, in yet another aspect, femto AP 130 has cell identifier(s)(e.g., in UMTS-based radio technology, a LAC (location area code) or aRAC (routing area code)) that is different from the underlying macronetwork. It should be appreciated that in macro networks, cellidentifiers (IDs) such as LAC and RAC are reused over several basestations, or Node Bs, and large areas so location information, orintelligence, accuracy and attachment procedure(s) (e.g., Location AreaUpdate (LAU) or Routing Area Update (RAU)) frequency are relatively low.It should be noted that based at least in part on radio technologydeployment for macro networks, cell ID reuse granularity may differ,wherein radio technologies with distributed processing and moresignaling capacity may afford more granular cell ID (e.g., LAC and RAC)assignments.

Femto LAC and RAC are used to identify subscriber station location for avariety of reasons, most notably to direct incoming voice and datatraffic to appropriate paging transmitters, and emergency calls as well.As a subscriber station (e.g., UE 120 _(A)) that exploits macro coverage(e.g., macrocell 105) enters femto coverage (e.g., confined coveragearea 125), the subscriber station (e.g., UE 120 _(A)) attempts to attachto the femto AP 130 through transmission and reception of attachmentsignaling. The signaling is effected via DL/UL 135; in an aspect of thesubject innovation, the attachment signaling can include a Location AreaUpdate (LAU) or Routing Area Update (RAU). As an example of attachmentprocedure and mechanism(s) associated therewith, UMTS handsets monitornetwork pilots, e.g., generated through a femtocell, or femtocell AP,while in the idle mode; each pilot includes LAC and/or RAC. As asubscriber station moves between pilots, e.g., moves within a macrosector and reaches vicinity of a femtocell, the subscriber stationprobes for a change in LAC or RAC. When a change in LAC or RAC isdetected, the subscriber station performs LAU and/or RAU so mobilenetwork(s) becomes aware of subscriber station location in order toproperly route incoming call pages. Attachment attempts are thus a partof procedures to ensure mobility, so voice calls and data sessions canbe initiated even after a macro-to-femto transition or vice versa.

It is to be noted that UE 120 _(A) can be employed seamlessly aftereither of the foregoing transitions. In addition, femto networkstypically are designed to serve stationary or slow-moving traffic withreduced signaling loads compared to macro networks. A service providernetwork 165 (e.g., an entity that commercializes, deploys, or utilizesfemto access points 130 and macro base stations 110) is thereforeinclined to minimize unnecessary LAU/RAU signaling activity atsubstantially any opportunity to do so, and through substantially anyavailable means. It is to be noted that substantially any mitigation ofunnecessary attachment signaling/control is advantageous for femtocell,or femtocell AP, operation. Conversely, if not successful, UE 120 _(A)is generally commanded (through a variety of communication means) toselect another LAC/RAC or enter “emergency calls only” mode. It is to beappreciated that this attempt and handling process can occupysignificant UE battery, and femto AP capacity and signaling resources(e.g., communication of pilot sequences) as well.

When an attachment attempt is successful, UE 120 _(A) is allowed onfemtocell 125, and incoming voice and data traffic are paged and routedto the subscriber through the femto AP 130. To facilitate voice and datarouting, and control signaling as well, successful attachment can berecorded in a memory register, e.g., a Visited Location Register (VLR),or substantially any data structure stored in a network memory. It is tobe noted also that packet communication (e.g., voice and data traffic,and signaling) typically paged/routed through a backhaul broadband wirednetwork backbone 153 (e.g., optical fiber backbone, twisted-pair line,T1/E1 phone line(s), T3 phone line(s), digital level zero line (DS0),digital subscriber line (DSL) either synchronous or asynchronous, anasymmetric DSL, a coaxial cable . . . ). To this end, femto AP 130 istypically connected to the broadband backhaul network backbone 140 via abroadband modem (not shown). In an aspect of the subject innovation,femto AP 130 can display status indicators for power, activebroadband/DSL connection, gateway connection, and generic or specificmalfunction. In another aspect, no landline is necessary for femto AP130 operation.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example system that can enable and exploitfemtocell service through a secondary connection in accordance withaspects described herein. In example system 200, femto network platform202 provides femtocell wireless service. Femto network platform 202 isfunctionally coupled (e.g., communicatively coupled) to macro networkplatform 220 via interface 219. In an aspect, interface 219 can beembodied in at least one of conventional link(s) (e.g., a fiber opticlink, an Ethernet link, a T1/E1 line . . . ), reference link(s) (e.g.,Gi, Gn . . . ), numerous bus architectures, or one or more components ofan access network or a core network. Macro network platform 220 providesmacrocell wireless service through circuit-switched (CS) domain servicesand packet-switched (PS) domain services. Macro network platform 220 isdirectly coupled external network(s) 236.

Femto network platform 202 can serve or exchange traffic and signalingwith a mobile device in the set of one or more devices 248 throughaccess network 240, which is linked to the femto network platform 202via backhaul link(s) 218, and a femtocell (femto) AP (e.g., primaryfemto AP 254) via a home gateway node (e.g., primary home gateway node244). Access network 240 is part of access network(s) 152, and the femtoAP can operate in accordance with aspects described herein.

Femto network platform 202 includes component(s), node(s), gatewaynode(s), interface(s), server(s), or platform(s) that enable bothpacket-switched (PS) communication (e.g. IP-based communication, framerelay communication, ATM communication . . . ) and generation of controlsignaling for networked wireless communication. In an aspect, femtonetwork platform 202 includes femto gateway node(s) 204, also referredto as gateway node(s) 204, which have substantially the samefunctionality as PS gateway node(s) 226 in macro network platform 220. Afemto gateway node that is part of femto gateway node(s) 204 or a PSgateway node that is part of PS gateway node(s) 226 embodies a networkgateway node. Femto gateway node(s) 204 also can include substantiallyall or all functionality of serving node(s) 234, described below. In anaspect, disparate femto gateway node(s) 204 can control or operatedisparate sets of deployed femto APs. The group of femto gateway node(s)204 can be expanded periodically or in accordance with a schedule toimprove management (e.g., load balancing or other aspects of trafficscheduling) and functionality of a set of deployed femto APs. Femtonetwork platform 202 also includes clock layer(s) 212, which can includethe clock strata of network time protocol (NTP) and thus supply varioustime-based utilities and one or more time records.

Server(s) 208 have substantially the same functionality as described inconnection with server(s) 230 described below. In an aspect, server(s)208 can execute multiple application(s) that provide service (e.g.,voice and data) to wireless devices served through access network 240and associated femto AP(s). Server(s) 208 also can provide securityfeatures to femto network platform 202. Moreover, server(s) 208 canmanage (e.g., schedule, queue, format . . . ) substantially allpacketized flows (e.g., IP-based flows, frame-relay-based flows,ATM-based flows . . . ) the server(s) 208 generates in addition to datareceived, via interface 219 (reference link(s), wireless link(s),various bus architectures, etc.), from macro network platform 220.Furthermore, server(s) 208 can provision, at least in part, femtocellservice and exchange signaling, and related payload data, with one ormore network components that effect activation of the femtocell service.Further yet, server(s) 208 also implement operations and maintenance(O&M) procedures associated with at least one femto AP and one or morefunctional elements in femto network platform. In one or moreembodiments, server(s) 208 can include one or more processors configuredto enable or that enable, at least in part, the functionality of femtonetwork platform 202 or one or more functional elements therein (gatewaynode(s), clock layer(s), etc.). To that end, the one or more processorsin server(s) 208 can execute one or more sets of computer-executablecode instructions stored in memory 216, for example. Server(s) 208, orthe one or more processors therein, can exchange data and signaling withvarious functional elements of femto network platform 202 via bus 217.In an aspect, the bus 217 can be embodied in at least one of a memorybus, a system bus, an address bus, a message bus, a power bus, or one ormore reference link(s) or interface(s).

Memory 216 also can retain information relevant to operation of thevarious components of femto network platform 202 and femtocell serviceprovided to one or more subscribers. For example operational informationthat can be stored in memory 216 can comprise subscriber intelligence,such as physical address(es), billing preference(s) and plan(s), one ormore records of incidents; contracted services, which can include mediaentertainment, gaming, or the like; maintenance and service recordsrelated to femtocell service; femtocell configuration, including devicesauthorized for femtocell service and authorized subscribers (e.g.,access control list(s); described hereinafter) associated with one ormore deployed (e.g., provisioned and active) femto APs; servicepolicies, such as service priority for a device attached to a deployedfemto AP, and equipment specifications; privacy policies; add-onfeatures, which can include parental controls; and so forth. In one ormore embodiments, memory 216 can retain one or more access control liststhat regulate access to femtocell service from one or more devices indevice(s) 248.

Macro network platform 220 can include one or more functional elements,e.g., component(s), node(s), gateway node(s), interface(s), server(s),or platform(s) that enable both packet-switched (PS) (e.g., internetprotocol (IP), frame relay, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM)) andcircuit-switched (CS) traffic (e.g., voice and data) and controlgeneration for networked communication, wireless or otherwise. It shouldbe appreciated that in cellular wireless technologies (e.g., 3GPP UMTS,HSPA, 3GPP LTE, 3GPP UMTS, 3GPP2 UMB), macro network platform 220embodies a core network. PS gateway node(s) 226 can embody at least partof the PS domain. Functional element within the PS domain can enableexchange of notifications, indications, and directives in accordancewith various networked communication protocols indicated herein,including one or more peer-to-peer transport protocol(s). With respectto CS communication, macro network platform 220 includes CS gatewaynode(s) 222, which can interface CS traffic received from legacynetworks such as telephony network(s) (e.g., public switched telephonenetwork (PSTN), or public land mobile network (PLMN)) or a SS7 network;such networks can be part of external network(s) 236. CS gateway node(s)222 also can enable exchange of messaging communications in SMSprotocol. In addition, CS gateway node(s) 222 can authorize andauthenticate traffic (e.g., voice) arising from such networks. Moreover,CS gateway node(s) 222 can access mobility, or roaming, data generatedthrough a SS7 network in response to various mobility events asdescribed herein; for instance, the mobility data can be stored in a VLR(visited location register; not shown). Furthermore, CS gateway node(s)222 can interface CS-based traffic or signaling with PS gateway node(s)226. As an example, in a 3GPP UMTS network, CS gateway node(s) 222 canbe embodied, at least in part, in gateway GPRS support node(s) (GGSN).

In the subject disclosure, in addition to receiving and processingCS-based traffic and signaling data, PS gateway node(s) 226 canauthorize and authenticate PS-based data sessions with device(s) 248served, in part, through access network 240. Data sessions (e.g., anincoming call) can include traffic exchange with external network(s)236, which can be interfaced with macro network platform 220 through PSgateway node(s) 226. In an aspect, PS gateway node(s) 226 can generatepacket data protocol (PDP) contexts when a data session is established.To at least that end, in an aspect, PS gateway node(s) 226 can include atunnel interface (e.g., tunnel termination gateway (TTG) in 3GPP UMTSnetwork(s) (not shown)) which can enable packetized communication withdisparate wireless network(s), which can be part of access network(s)240 and can include Wi-Fi networks, femtocell network(s), macrocellnetwork(s) and associated radio access network(s) (RAN(s)) based onvarious radio technologies, etc.

It should be further appreciated that packetized communication caninclude multiple flows of data that can be generated through server(s)230, such as management server(s) (e.g., a provisioning server, a MSC)or application server(s). It is to be noted that in 3GPP UMTSnetwork(s), PS gateway node(s) 226 (e.g., GGSN) and tunnel interface(e.g., TTG) comprise a packet data gateway (PDG).

Serving node(s) 234 can convey various packetized flows of data streamsthat can be directed to device(s) 248; such flows can be receivedthrough PS gateway node(s) 226 from server(s) 230. In an aspect,server(s) 230 can receive the communication(s), such as request for dataintended to external network(s) 236, which can include an IMS core orother packet-based cores, from user equipment within device(s) 248 ornetwork elements. As an example, in a 3GPP UMTS network, serving node(s)234 can be embodied in serving GPRS support node(s) (SGSN). As anotherexample, in a 3GPP LTE network, service node(s) 234 can be embodied in aMobility Management Entity (MME).

Server(s) 230 can operate in various layers of macro network platform220 and can execute numerous applications, which can includeconsumer-oriented application(s), such as messaging services, locationservices, online gaming, wireless banking, or system-orientedapplications, e.g., wireless device management, scheduling or queuing ofnetwork traffic, or the like. Such application(s), eitherconsumer-oriented or system-oriented, can generate sets of packetizeddata streams or flows, and manage (e.g., schedule, queue, format . . . )such flows. Such application(s), for example can include add-on featuresto standard services. Data streams generated by server(s) 230 can beconveyed to PS gateway node(s) 226 for authentication/authorization andinitiation of a data session and to serving node(s) 234 forcommunication to device(s) 248 thereafter.

Server(s) 230 also can effect security (e.g., implement one or morefirewalls) of macro network platform 220 to ensure network's operationand data integrity in addition to authentication and authorizationprocedures that CS gateway node(s) 222 and PS gateway node(s) 226 canenact. In addition, server(s) 230 can implement timing protocols (e.g.,Network Time Protocol (NTP)) that supply timing framework(s) for variousoperation(s) of macro network platform 220. Moreover, server(s) 230 canprovision services from external network(s) 236 (LAN(s), IMS corenetwork, Global Positioning System (GPS) network(s), or the like).Server(s) 230 can include one or more processors (not shown) configuredto provide or that provide, in part, the functionality of macro networkplatform 220. To that end, the one or more processors can execute one ormore sets of computer-executable code instructions (not shown) stored ina memory (not shown) functionally coupled to macro network platform 220,for example.

In the illustrated embodiment of example system 200, femto networkplatform 202 is functionally coupled to external network(s) 236indirectly, via macro network platform 220. However, in certainembodiments, femto network platform 220 can be directly connected (e.g.,communicatively coupled) to at least one external network in the set ofone or more external network(s) 236.

As described supra, femto network platform 202 is functionally coupledto one or more femto access points through access network 240 andlink(s) 218. In an aspect, gateway node(s) 204 are functionally coupled(e.g., communicatively coupled) to a primary femto AP 254 via at leastone of access network 240 and primary home gateway (gty) node 244. Inone or more embodiments, a home gateway node (e.g., 244) is a DSL modemor a cable modem. In alternative or additional embodiments, the homegateway node is a network interface device (NID). In the subjectdisclosure, a home gateway node is distinguished from a network gatewaynode in that the home gateway node is embodied in customer premisesequipment (CPE) that serves as a data and control gateway to one or morenetwork gateway nodes, whereas the network gateway node is not embodiedin CPE. Access network 240 is functionally connected to (i) gatewaynode(s) 204 via link(s) 218, and (ii) primary home gateway node 244through link(s) 242. Access network 240 can be part of access network(s)152; AN 240 can be embodied and can operate in substantially the samemanner as an access network that is part of access network(s) 152.Link(s) 218 and link(s) 242 can be embodied and can operated insubstantially the same manner as a link in the set of femto backhaullink(s) 153.

Primary home gateway node 244 is functionally coupled to device(s) 248via link(s) 246. Similarly to other links described supra, link(s) 246can include wired link(s) or wireless link(s); for example, link(s) 246can include a point-to-point radio link (e.g., Bluetooth link) or aWi-Fi radio link. At least a subset of device(s) 248 can be part of alocal network deployed within a confined-coverage area associated with(e.g., served by) primary femto AP 254. In an aspect of the subjectdisclosure, the confined-coverage area served by the primary femto AP orany other femto AP described herein is owned or leased by the owner orlessee of the primary femto AP which can be deployed as part ofstructure within the confined-coverage area. The confined-coverage areacan be embodied in a residential dwelling, such as a single-family homeor an apartment; a business space (e.g., a hotel); an enterprise placeof operation; a factory; an entertainment area which can include bars,night-clubs, or the like; a worship area such as a church or mosque; aneducational facility, which can include open and semi-open spaces as itmay be the case in a college campus; a wellness area, e.g., a healthclub; a hospital or nursing home; etc. Moreover, at least one deviceamongst device(s) 248 can be served by the primary femto AP 254; forexample the at least one device can be a mobile device. Device(s) 248can include mobile devices (e.g., cellular telephone (cellphone), laptopcomputer with wireless connectivity card, netbook, DVR . . . ) andwireline devices (e.g., plain old telephone system (POTS) telephone,home manager IP-based telephone . . . ) that utilize wireless networkresources to telecommunicate voice or data. In certain embodiments,device(s) 248 can include a wearable device with enabled wirelesscapability that is attached to the subscriber's garment or gear(goggles, helmet, etc.).

Primary femto AP 254 provides wireless service (e.g., wireless deliveryand reception of data and signaling) to the at least one device through,at least in part, wireless links 252; in an aspect, wireless links 252are substantially the same as wireless links 135, and thus wirelesslinks 252 include an UL and a DL. In addition, to provide wirelessservice, at least in part, primary femto AP 254 communicates withprimary home gateway node 244 through link(s) 256; in one or moreembodiments, link(s) 256 is embodied in a single wired link functionallyattached to primary home gateway node 244. To provide wireless service,primary femto AP 254 exploits primary home gateway node 244 to establisha telecommunication channel (a packet-based protocol channel, such as avirtual private network (VPN) channel, for example) to gateway nodes(s)204 via links 218 and 242, and AN 240. Wireless traffic and signaling isexchanged with CS core or PS core in macro network platform 220. It isnoted that a femto AP (primary or secondary) exploits an associated homegateway node to establish such telecommunication channel (e.g., VPNchannel). The telecommunication channel is typically persistent and thusit should be maintained functional for a femto AP, and related wirelessdevices, to access to femtocell service. In scenario(s) in whichperformance of telecommunication channel established by primary femto AP254 with gateway node(s) 204 is compromised—e.g., connectivity to orfrom gateway node(s) 204 is lost or bandwidth available for trafficprevents acceptable performance of a service provided through theprimary femto AP 254—example system 200 enables preservation offemtocell wireless service within suitable perceived quality of service.

Preservation of femtocell wireless service is based at least in part ona secondary connection to femto network platform 202. The secondaryconnection is enabled, at least in part, via at least one secondary homegateway that is part of the set of one or more secondary home gatewaynode(s) 260. A secondary home gateway node in the set of one or moresecondary home gateway node(s) 260 is functionally coupled (e.g.,communicatively coupled) to at least one femto AP (e.g., a secondaryfemto AP) in the set of one or more secondary femto AP(s) 270 vialink(s) 264. In one or more embodiments, link(s) 264 is a single wiredlink functionally connected to the secondary home gateway node. Thesecondary home gateway node is associated with a confined-coverage area.As indicated supra, the confined-coverage area can be embodied in aresidential dwelling, such as a single-family home or an apartment; abusiness space (e.g., a hotel); an enterprise place of operation; afactory; an entertainment area which can include bars, night-clubs, orthe like; a worship area such as a church or mosque; an educationalfacility, which can include open and semi-open spaces as it may be thecase in a college campus; a wellness area, e.g., a health club; ahospital or nursing home; etc.

The secondary connection can be established in accordance with numerousembodiments. In a first example embodiment of example system 200, afemto AP (e.g., primary femto AP 254) connects to a home gateway node(e.g., a secondary home gateway node in the set of one or more secondaryhome gateway node(s) 260) associated with a confined-coverage areadisparate from the confined-coverage area associated with the femto AP.In such first embodiment, establishment of the secondary connection canbe effected in response to numerous communication performancedeficiencies that comprise connectivity of the femto AP (e.g., primaryfemto AP 254) with a gateway node. Communication performancedeficiencies can include loss of backhaul link connectivity (e.g.,broadband connectivity, such as DSL connectivity), traffic degradation,malfunction of the home gateway node (e.g., primary home gateway node244) linked to the confined-coverage area associated with the femto AP(e.g., primary femto AP 254), or other adverse network event(s). In anaspect of the first embodiment, the femto AP that establishes, in part,the secondary connection, can operate in at least one radio technologyin addition to the radio technology employed by the femto AP forcommunication of traffic and signaling that is part of femtocellwireless service. Radio technology protocol employed for communicationvia links 262 can be different from the radio technology protocolemployed for communication via wireless links 252. The complexity ofaffording more than one radio technology can be offset by the benefit(s)of retaining femtocell wireless service in the presence of a pluralityof communication performance deficiencies. In addition, such firstembodiment has at least the advantage of avoiding changes to femtocelldeployment architecture (e.g., deployment plan), and thus preservinginformation critical to operation and regulation of femtocell service,such as validated addresses of femto APs for enhanced 911 (E911)service.

In a second example embodiment of example system 200, a first homegateway node (e.g., primary home gateway node 244) connects to a secondhome gateway node (e.g., a secondary home gateway node in the set of oneor more secondary home gateway node(s) 260) and establishes a secondarytelecommunication channel with the second gateway node. In an aspect ofsuch example second embodiment, the first home gateway node and thesecond home gateway node can establish the secondary telecommunicationchannel wirelessly via radio links 258. In an aspect, radio links 258can be implemented in accordance with various radio technology protocols(Wi-Fi, 3GPP UMTS, 3GPP LTE, etc.). In such second example embodiment,complexity of a femto AP connected to a home gateway node (e.g., primaryhome gateway node 244) is reduced with respect to a femto AP (e.g.,primary femto AP 254) in the first example embodiment. It should beappreciated that in the second example embodiment, a potential tradeoffof reduced complexity may be reduced scope of communication performancedeficiencies that can be mitigated via the plurality of home gatewaynodes; for instance, a malfunctioning home gateway node may not be ableto implement a secondary telecommunication channel. It should be furtherappreciated that such second example embodiment has at least theadvantage of maintaining deployment architecture of backhaul links thatenable coupling of one or more home gateway nodes with femto networkplatform 202.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example embodiment 300 of a femto AP that canretain femtocell wireless service in accordance with aspects disclosedherein. Femto AP 302 can embody one or more femtocell APs (e.g., primaryfemto AP 254 or a secondary femto AP within secondary femto AP(s) 270)or any other confined-coverage AP referred to and described herein. Toenable wireless service, femto AP 302 includes communication platform304. Communication platform 304 comprises a set ofreceiver(s)/transceiver(s) 306. While each transceiver in the setincludes an antenna 318 _(κ), with κ=1, 2, . . . . Q, with Q a naturalnumber greater or equal than unity. In the subject disclosure, the setof receiver(s)/transceiver(s) 306 can transmit and receive signal via aperipheral interface 324 and antennas 318 _(κ). The peripheral interface324 is functionally connected to a home gateway node (not shown; e.g.,primary home gateway node 244) that serves as primary home gateway nodefor femto AP 302. In an aspect, connection of peripheral interface 324(e.g., via an Ethernet port therein) to the home gateway node thatserves as primary home gateway node for femto AP 302 can lead the femtoAP 302 to establish automatically a packet-based protocol tunnel (e.g.,a VPN tunnel) with a network gateway node (e.g., a gateway node ingateway node(s) 204). In another aspect, peripheral interface 324enables connection to a peripheral device and communication therewith.As an example, peripheral interface 324 can allow connection of anexternal antenna to receive global navigation data, e.g., globalpositioning system (GPS) data; the antenna can reside in an outerlocation of a confined area served by femto AP 302, so the antenna isexposed to open sky. As another example, peripheral interface 324 canenable connection of femto AP 302 to disparate femto AP(s). Peripheralinterface 324 can include a set of ports, which comprises at least oneof parallel port(s), serial port(s), Ethernet port(s), V.35 ports, X.21ports, wherein parallel ports can comprise General Purpose Interface Bus(GPIB), IEEE-1284, while serial ports can include Recommended Standard(RS)-232, V.11, Universal Serial Bus (USB), FireWire or IEEE-1394.

Communication platform 304 comprises electronic components andassociated circuitry that enable processing and manipulation, e.g.,coding/decoding, deciphering, modulation/demodulation, of signal(s)received by femto AP 302 and signal(s) to be transmitted by femto AP302; received or transmitted signal(s) are modulated and coded, orotherwise processed, in accordance with various radio technologyprotocols (e.g., 3GPP UMTS, 3GPP LTE . . . ). Components, or functionalelements, in communication platform 304 exchange information through abus 315; information includes data, code instructions, signaling andrelated payload data, or the like, and the bus 315 can be embodied in atleast one of a system bus, and address bus, a data bus, a message bus,or a reference link or interface. The electronic components andcircuitry can include the set of Q receiver(s)/transmitter(s) 306 andcomponent(s) therein, a multiplexer/demultiplexer (mux/demux) component308, a modulator/demodulator component 310, a coder/decoder 312, and aset of one or more chipsets, e.g., multi-mode chipset(s) 314.Receiver(s)/transmitter(s) 306 can convert signal from analog to digitaland vice versa. In addition, receiver(s)/transmitter(s) 306 can divide asingle data stream into multiple parallel data streams, or perform thereciprocal operation; such operations are typically conducted in variousmultiplexing schemes. Functionally coupled to receiver(s)/transmitter(s)306 is a multiplexer/demultiplexer (mux/demux) component 308 thatenables processing or manipulation of signal(s) in time and frequencyspace or domain. Electronic mux/demux component 308 can multiplex anddemultiplex information (data/traffic and control/signaling) accordingto various multiplexing schemes such as time division multiplexing(TDM), frequency division multiplexing (FDM), orthogonal frequencydivision multiplexing (OFDM), code division multiplexing (CDM), spacedivision multiplexing (SDM). In addition, mux/demux component 308 canscramble and spread information (e.g., codes) according to substantiallyany code; e.g., Hadamard-Walsh codes, Baker codes, Kasami codes,polyphase codes, and so on. A modulator/demodulator (mod/demod)component 310 also is a part of communication platform 304, and canmodulate and demodulate information according to various modulationtechniques, such as frequency modulation (e.g., frequency-shift keying),amplitude modulation (e.g., M-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM),with M a positive integer; amplitude-shift keying (ASK)), phase-shiftkeying (PSK), and the like. In embodiment 300, mod/demod component 310is functionally coupled to mux/demux component 308 via bus 315. Inaddition, processor(s) 340 enables, at least in part, femto AP 302 toprocess data (e.g., symbols, bits, or chips) formultiplexing/demultiplexing, modulation/demodulation, such asimplementing direct and inverse fast Fourier transforms, selection ofmodulation rates, selection of data packet formats, inter-packet times,etc.

Communication platform 304 also includes a coder/decoder 312 thatoperates on data in accordance with one or more coding/decoding schemessuitable for communication, at least in part, through one or morereceivers(s)/transmitter(s) 306. In an aspect, the coding/decodingschemes, or related procedures, can be retained as a group of one ormore code instructions in memory 340. When telecommunication through oneor more transmission point(s) (not shown) associated with femto APexploits multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), multiple-inputsingle-output (MISO), single-input multiple-output (SIMO) orsingle-input single-output (SISO) operation, coder/decoder 312 canimplement at least one of space-time block coding (STBC) and associateddecoding; or space-frequency block (SFBC) coding and associateddecoding. Coder/decoder 312 also can extract information from datastreams coded in accordance with spatial multiplexing scheme. To decodereceived information, e.g., data or control, coder/decoder 312 caneffect at least one of computation of log-likelihood ratios (LLR)associated with constellation realization for a specific demodulation;maximal ratio combining (MRC) filtering, maximum-likelihood (ML)detection, successive interference cancellation (SIC) detection, zeroforcing (ZF) and minimum mean square error estimation (MMSE) detection,or the like. In addition, to operate in the manner described herein,coder/decoder 312 can employ, at least in part, mux/demux component 308and mod/demod component 310.

In addition, communication platform 304 can process (code, decode,format, etc.) signal(s) originated in a wireless environment within aset of one or more electromagnetic (EM) radiation frequency bands, alsoreferred to as frequency bands in the subject specification. The set ofEM frequency bands can comprise radio frequency (RF) portion(s) andmicrowave portion(s) of the EM spectrum, although other spectral regionssuch as infrared (IR) also can be included. In addition, in one aspect,the set of EM radiation frequency bands can include at least one of (i)all or substantially all licensed EM frequency bands, or (ii) all orsubstantially all unlicensed frequency bands currently available fortelecommunication. It is noted that the set is configurable and can beupgraded to incorporate frequency bands, or frequency carriers therein,as such bands or carriers become available for telecommunication, e.g.,auctioned for utilization or authorized for free-of-charge utilization.In an embodiment, a server (e.g., provisioning server that is part ofOSS/BSS 238 can enable configuration of the set of EM frequency bands.Communication platform 304 also can operate in accordance with aconfigurable set of radio technologies, or communication protocolsthereof; procedures that when executed, for example, by a processor,implement such communication protocols can be retained in memory 340. Asnew radio technologies become standardized, or available, a networkoperator that provides telecommunication service via femtocell networkcan introduce such technologies in the set of radio technologies thatcan be utilized for telecommunication through a femto AP 302 deployed ina confined area.

In example embodiment 300, multimode chipset(s) 314 can enable femto AP302 to operate in multiple communication modes through various radionetwork technologies (e.g., second generation (2G), third generation(3G), fourth generation (4G)) or deep-space satellite-basedcommunication in accordance with disparate technical specifications, orstandard protocols, for the radio network technologies or satellitecommunication. The various radio network technologies can be part of theset of radio technologies described supra. In an aspect, multimodechipset(s) 314 can enable, at least in part, communication platform 304to operate in accordance with standard protocols specific to atelecommunication mode of operation, e.g., Long Term Evolution(LTE)-based communication. In another aspect, multimode chipset(s) 314can be scheduled to operate concurrently in various modes or within amultitask paradigm in which the multimode chipset(s) 314 operates in adedicated mode for a specific time interval.

Femto AP 302 also can include a display interface (not shown), which canrender various indicia associated with functions that control operationof femto AP 302 or reveal operation conditions thereof, e.g., availableconnectivity to backhaul broadband network. In addition, the displayinterface (not shown) can convey information to an end user, such asnumber of currently served mobile devices. Moreover, the displayinterface (not shown) can receive one or more directives to render anenvironment (e.g., display a user interface) to configure at least onerouting preference associated with customized communication routing asdescribed herein. In an aspect, the one or more directives can be issued(e.g., generated and delivered) by configuration component 328.

The display interface (not shown) can include a display component (notshown) that can convey visual or aural indicia. Various schemes can beemployed to render the environment to configure the routing preference,such as, but not limited to, windows-based schemes, e.g., iconicrepresentation, pop-up representation; or text-based representation,with scroll-down or scroll-sideways delivery, or static rendering. In anaspect, based on complexity of femto AP 302, for example, the displaycomponent (not shown) can be embodied, at least in part, in a displayelement within a monitor such as a cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor, aLiquid Crystal Display (LCD) monitor, a plasma monitor, a light emittingdiode (LED) monitor, an electrochromic monitor, or the like. The displaycomponent (not shown) also can enable communication of aural indicia,for example, via speaker(s).

The display interface (not shown) can enable entry of data that definesone or more routing preferences in the set of routing preferences. Inaddition, the display interface (not shown) can collect entry of data,through a data entry component (not shown) that can enable femto AP 302to receive external commands (e.g., restart operation) or configurationinformation (e.g., edit access control list(s) within femto AP 302 or inadministration component within a core network). The display interface(not shown) can process (e.g., decode/code), at least in part, receivedinput data and convey it as signaling to one or more functional elements(component(s), platform(s), etc.) or memory 340 within femto AP 302. Tomitigate fraudulent transaction(s), entry of data can be secured throughvarious credential-based mechanisms, such as password protection,biometric protection, or the like, and an associated secured transportprotocol(s) that can include data encryption. In an aspect, one or moresets of code instructions that can be executed to implement suchmechanisms can be retained within an application (app.) storage (notshown).

Various functional elements and associated circuitry that can embody, atleast in part, data entry component (not shown) enable data inputthrough one or more gestures (e.g., touch, speech, motion), one or morecommunication protocols. Such functional elements can include a keypad,a touch screen, a microphone, a camera(s); a bar code reader, radiofrequency ID (RFID) reader, infrared (IR) wireless-based reader; or thelike.

In certain embodiments, femto AP 302 can include a power supply (notshown), which can provide power to one or more components or functionalelements that operate within femto AP 302. In an aspect, the powersupply (not shown) can be rechargeable, e.g., it can be embodied in arechargeable battery. In addition, the power supply (not shown) caninclude one or more transformers to achieve power level(s) that canoperate femto AP 302 and component(s) or functional element(s), andrelated circuitry therein. In an aspect, the power supply (not shown)can attach to a conventional power grid to recharge, or ensure femto AP302 is operational; the power supply (not shown) can includeinput/output (I/O) interface(s) (not shown), or connector(s) (notshown), to functionally attach to the conventional power grid. The powersupply (not shown) also can include an energy conversion component(s)(not shown) such as a solar panel or a thermoelectric device ormaterial, which can be external or internal to the femto AP 302, inorder to provide additional or alternative power resources or autonomyto femto AP 302.

Femto AP 302 includes a monitor component 316 that can evaluateperformance of a telecommunication channel established by femto AP 310with a gateway node (not shown). In an aspect, monitor component 316evaluates such performance by determining at least one performancecondition of a home gateway node to which femto AP 302 is functionallyconnected and that enables, in part, communication with the gatewaynode, and comparing the at least one condition with group of performancethreshold. A performance condition can be characterized by a keyperformance indicator (KPI), such as rate of data packet loss, rate ofcall session loss, time interval for call session establishment, datarate, or the like. The performance threshold can be retained as part ofperformance threshold(s) 348, which is a memory element (register,database, file, etc.) within memory 340. The at least one condition ofthe home gateway node determines the condition of a backhaul linkconnection. In another aspect, monitor component 316 evaluatesperformance of the telecommunication channel by assessing one or moreperformance conditions of a packet-based protocol tunnel (e.g., a VPNtunnel) and comparing the one or more performance conditions to a set ofperformance thresholds. The set of performance thresholds can be part ofperformance threshold(s) 348.

Based on the performance of the telecommunication channel, e.g., theperformance is below a predetermined threshold, monitor component 316can convey an indication to scanner component 320 to detect a set ofhome gateway nodes, wherein each home gateway node in such set is notfunctionally connected (e.g., functionally attached through a conductor)to femto AP 310. The set of home gateway nodes can be deployed (e.g.,installed, configured, tested, and commissioned) in proximity (e.g.,adjacent) to femto AP 310. In one or more scenarios, femto AP 310embodies primary femto AP 254 and secondary home gateway node(s) 260embody the set of home gateway nodes.

A subset of one or more home gateway nodes in the set of home gatewaynodes detected by scanner component 320 can be provisioned by a networkserver (e.g., a provisioning server within OSS/BSS 238). In an aspect,the set of home gateway nodes can be provisioned at the time of or afterinitial installation of femto AP 302. As part of the provision of suchhome gateway nodes, the network server can commit (e.g., deliver andcause to store) one or more secondary connectivity list(s), and a set ofsecurity credentials (e.g., encrypted authentication passcodes,encryption keys, digital certificates . . . ) associated with the subsetof home gateway nodes. The one or more secondary connectivity list(s)can be retained in memory 340 within memory element (register, file,database, etc.) 344. Likewise, the set of security credentials can beretained in credential storage 346 within memory 340. Configurationcomponent 328 enables a service provider, or network operator, toprovision the subset of one or more home gateway nodes. In an aspect,configuration component 328 can receive at least one of the secondaryconnectivity list(s) or the set of credentials and store either thesecondary connectivity list(s) or the set of credentials, or both,within memory 340. Credential storage 346 also can retain one or morehardware identifying tokens or codes; for example, an IMSI, a temporaryinternational mobile subscriber identity (TIMSI), packet TIMSI(P-TIMSI), an IMEI, an MDN, a MIN, a TIA ESN, or a multi-bitidentification number such as MEID.

To detect a home gateway node, scanner component 320 can collectwireless pilot signal conveyed (e.g., broadcasted) by the home gatewaynode; communication platform 304 enables, in part, collection of thewireless pilot signal. To collect the wireless pilot signal, the scannercomponent 320 can exploit communication platform 304, or one or morecomponents therein, to receive wireless signal within a specific portionof the EM spectrum and in accordance with a specific radio technologyprotocol (e.g., Wi-Fi communication). Scanner component 320 can conveyan indication to communication platform 304, or the one or morecomponents therein, to decode wireless signal in the specific portion ofthe EM spectrum and the specific radio technology. If a signal qualitymetric (signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), signal-to-interference-and-noiseratio (SINR), etc.) associated with the wireless pilot signal is above apredetermined threshold, scanner component 320 extracts anidentification (ID) code of the home gateway node and thus identifiesit. Upon or after detection of a home gateway node, scanner component320 determines if the home gateway node is part of a secondaryconnectivity list. To make such determination, scanner component 320 ora component therein (not shown) can compare the ID code with one or morecodes in the secondary connectivity list. In case the home gateway nodeis not part of the secondary connectivity list, scanner component 320proceeds with detection of an additional home gateway node. In thealternative, in case the home gateway node is listed in the secondaryconnectivity list, scanner component 320 determines if the home gatewaynode is available to establish a wireless secondary telecommunicationchannel, such as a wireless packet-based protocol tunnel. In an aspect,to determine such availability, scanner component 320 can convey arequest for service to the home gateway node. In response, scannercomponent 320 can receive an acknowledgement (ACK) signal in case thehome gateway node has radio resources (e.g., available bandwidth) toenable the wireless telecommunication channel. Conversely, if the homegateway node is unable to establish the wireless telecommunicationchannel, scanner component 320 can receive a no-acknowledgement (NACK)signal or any other type of rejection indication. The home gateway nodecan reject the request for service based at least on (a) current ornearly-current usage of radio resources or processing resources, or (b)an access list that determines a group of femtocell APs allowed toestablish the wireless secondary telecommunication channel.

For a detected home gateway node that is determined to be available,scanner component 320 or a component therein (not shown) can attach tosuch home gateway node and establish a wireless connection (e.g., aWi-Fi connection) amongst femto AP 302 and the detected home gatewaynode. In an aspect, establishment of such wireless connection includesmutual authentication of the femto AP 302 and the detected home gatewaynode; the mutual authentication exploits at least one securitycredential retained in credential storage 346. In an aspect, since thewireless connection may not be as reliable as a wired connection,monitor component 316 can assess quality (packet loss rate, block errorrate, etc.) of the wireless connection and, in response to unsuitablequality (e.g., below a predetermined threshold), scanner component 320can detect an alternative home gateway node.

Upon or after establishment of the wireless connection, femto AP 302requests the detected and available home gateway node to configure apacket-based protocol tunnel amongst the femto AP 302 and a gateway nodein order to retain, or continue, femtocell wireless service throughfemto AP 302. In an aspect, connectivity manager component 332, alsoreferred to as connectivity manager 332 in the subject specification anannexed drawings, can enable femto AP 302 to convey a request toconfigure the packet-based protocol tunnel (e.g., VPN tunnel, such asIPSec tunnel or GPRS tunnel); the request is delivered, in part, viacommunication platform 304. In another aspect, connectivity manager 332can switch from a first packet-based protocol tunnel (e.g., VPN tunnel)established through a first home gateway node (e.g., primary femto AP254) to a second packet-based protocol tunnel (e.g., VPN tunnel)established through a second home gateway node (e.g., a home gatewaynode in secondary home gateway node(s) 260). Thus, connectivity manager332 enables femto AP 302 to switch to a telecommunication channelestablished via the home gateway node that scanner component 320detected and determined to be available. In another aspect, for aspecific communication performance condition, connectivity manager 332can retain more than one packet-based protocol tunnel (e.g., VPN tunnel)simultaneously or nearly simultaneously. Monitor component 316 candetermine the specific communication performance condition and canreport it to connectivity manager 332. For instance, the specificcommunication performance condition can be insufficient bandwidth toattain a requisite or preferred data rate for certain service (e.g.,networked gaming application or video streaming application) providedthrough femto AP 302 via a first telecommunication channel; thus,implementation of a second telecommunication channel in addition to thefirst telecommunication channel can be necessary or preferred. Integrityprotocol 342 retained in memory 340 can dictate, at least in part,whether the second telecommunication channel is necessary (e.g., servicewith guaranteed bit rate) or preferred.

Femto AP 302 includes processor(s) 336 that can be configured to enableor that enable, at least in part, functionality to substantially any orany component(s), platform(s), interface(s), node(s), and so forth,within femto AP 302 in accordance with one or more aspects of thedescribed operation of femto AP 302. Processor(s) 336 is functionallycoupled to each functional element within femto AP 302 and to memory 340through bus 337; the bus 337 can be embodied in at least one of a memorybus, a system bus, an address bus, a message bus, a power bus, or one ormore reference link(s) or interface(s). In embodiment 300, processor(s)336 is illustrated as external to the various functional elements (e.g.,component(s), interface(s), platform(s), node(s)) of femto AP 302;however, in additional or alternative embodiment(s), processor(s) 336can be distributed amongst a plurality of such functional elements. Insome embodiment(s), one or more functional elements that comprise femtoAP 302 can reside within memory 340 as one or more sets of codeinstructions that, when executed by processor(s) 336, implement thevarious functional elements and described functionality thereof.

Processor(s) 336 also can supply information to and retrieve informationfrom memory 340. Such information can enable, at least in part,operation of or can provide, at least in part, functionality tocommunication platform 304, and at least a portion of functionalelements therein; display interface and functional element(s) therein;as well as other operational components (not shown) of femto AP 302. Theinformation can include at least one of code instructions, codestructure(s), data structures, or the like.

Processor(s) 336 can execute computer-executable code instructionsstored in memory 340, for example within application storage (notshown), or other memory(ies) functionally coupled to femto AP 302, toprovide, at least in part, the described functionality of femto AP 302.Such computer-executable code instructions can include program modulesor software applications or firmware applications that implement variousmethods described in the subject specification and associated, at leastin part, with functionality or operation of femto AP 302.

Memory 340 also can retain, at least in part in the foregoingapplication storage (not shown), at least one of data structures (e.g.,objects, classes, metadata); code structure(s) (e.g., modules,procedures) or code instructions; or substantially any type of softwareapplication(s) or firmware application(s) that processor(s) 336 canexecute to enable, at least in part, functionality associated withsubstantially any or any component(s), platform(s), interface(s), orfunctional element(s) within femto AP 302 in accordance with aspectsdescribed herein. In addition, memory 340 can store network or deviceinformation, e.g., within data storage (not shown), such as one or morecommunication protocol(s) or technical specification(s); code sequencesfor scrambling or spreading; blind decoding hypotheses; semi-persistentscheduling parameters; frequency offsets, macrocell base stationidentifiers and femtocell AP identifiers (IDs); address book(s); or thelike. Moreover, memory 340 can retain content(s) such as multimediafiles or subscriber-generated data. Memory 340 can include affixed orremovable elements such as a subscriber identification module (SIM) cardstorage, a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) storage, or aremovable user identity module (RUIM). In one or more embodiments, atleast a portion of memory 340 and content thereof can be external tofemto AP 302 and linked thereto via a peripheral interface.

Memory 340 also includes access control list(s) (not shown), which canbe employed at least to configure default logic for customized routingof an incoming call, as discussed supra. An access control list (ACL)enables, at least in part, regulation of access to wireless servicesupplied through femto AP 302 and features of supplied wireless service.To at least that end, an ACL can comprise a set of access attributes,which identify devices that can communicate wirelessly and areauthorized to receive telecommunication service through femto AP 302. Anaccess attribute uniquely identifies a device.

An access control list (ACL) associated with a femto AP can enableregulation of access thereto in at least the following manner. If afemto AP, e.g., primary femto AP 254, receives attachment signaling(e.g., LAU signaling or RAU signaling in UMTS-based radio technology)originated by a device, e.g., a mobile in device(s) 248, the femtocellAP validates an identity of the device, as conveyed in the attachmentsignaling, against the access control list, e.g., ACL(s), associatedwith the femtocell AP. If the identity of the device matches a deviceidentifier in the ACL, the attachment procedure associated with receivedattachment signaling is completed and the femtocell AP allows the deviceto camp therein and establish call sessions normally. In thealternative, if validation against the ACL results in no match amongstthe identity of the device and a device identity retained in the ACL,the femtocell AP rejects the attachment signaling and the device isallowed only to establish emergency calls. An owner or lessee of afemtocell AP can determine access attributes to be recorded in orremoved from an access control list associated with the femtocell AP.

More than one ACL can be retained in memory 340; however, a single ACLcan be active at a time in order to regulate access and provide wirelessservices. Memory 340 also can retain service attributes that controllogic for provision of service to a wireless device identified in anACL. Service attributes can be specific to femto AP 302. The logic forprovision of service can establish at least one of the followingfeatures: (i) Supplied service(s), e.g., voice-only service, data-onlyservice and available applications, voice and data service and providedapplications associated with the service(s). In addition, radiotechnology employed to supply service(s) also can be set. (ii) Servicepriority, e.g., ranking of access to radio resources such as radiotechnology (3G or 4G), bandwidth, dedicated channels. (iii) Accessschedule or time constraints, such as time of day considerations, orexpected duration of provided service. (iv) Level of service or accessquality of service, e.g., quality of service (QoS) profile such as besteffort, conversational, real-time. It should be appreciated that serviceattributes also can determine other service features.

A configuration of service attributes, also referred to as a profile ofservice attributes or access profile, is specific to a mobile deviceidentified in an access control list, even though it should be notedthat a particular configuration of service attributes can display aone-to-many relationship with identified devices in an ACL. Accordingly,specification of a service attribute profile can customize provision ofwireless service through a femto AP 302.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example embodiment 400 of a home gateway node thatcan enable retention of femtocell wireless service in accordance withaspects of the subject disclosure. Home gateway node 402 can embody oneor more home gateway nodes (e.g., primary home gateway node 244 or asecondary home gateway node within secondary home gateway nodes 260)described herein. In an aspect, home gateway node 402 can embody a homegateway node that is detected by a femtocell AP as part ofimplementation of an integrity protocol to retain femtocell wirelessservice in accordance with aspects disclosed herein. In a scenario inwhich home gateway node 402 is available to establish a wirelesstelecommunication channel with the femtocell AP.

Configuration component 404 operates in substantially the same manner asconfiguration component 328. In an aspect, configuration component 404enables a network server (e.g., a provisioning server within OSS/BSS238) to provision a set of femto APs and associated securitycredentials; a service carrier manages (e.g., owns or leases, andoperates) the network server. As part of provision of such set,configuration component 404 can receive identification codes or tokensfor at least one femto AP in the set; ID code(s) or token(s) can beretained in secondary connectivity list(s) 426. In addition,configuration component 404 can retain security credentials associatedwith the set of femto APs in credential storage 424. As described supra,the security credentials enable authentication of home gateway node 403with a femto AP and vice versa. In one or more embodiments, the set ofsecurity credentials includes at least one encryption key, at least oneencrypted authentication passcode, or the like. Integrity protocol 422can include one or more protocols (Kerberos, RADIUS, Diameter, LDAP,etc.) that enable such authentication.

Based on availability conditions, home gateway node 402 can establish awireless connection with a femto AP in the set of provisioned femto APsin order to maintain femtocell wireless service through the femto AP. Inan aspect, connectivity manager 408 can assess an availability conditionand determine if home gate node can establish a wireless connection(e.g., Wi-Fi wireless connection) to the femto AP. As an example, theavailability condition can be an amount of radio resources (scheduledtraffic, bandwidth, channels, etc.) or processing resources (scheduledtasks, processor load, available memory, etc.) available to home gatewaynode 402 for usage. In a scenario in which such availability conditionis above a predetermined threshold, connectivity manager 408 categorizeshome gateway node 402 as available to establish the wireless connectionto the femto AP. At least one predetermined threshold(s) can be retainedin a memory element (register, database, file, etc.), such asperformance threshold(s) 428. As another example, an availabilitycondition can be the output of a formal operation, such as a logicaloperation or query, that determines if an ID code or token of the femtoAP is part of secondary connectivity list(s) 426; processor(s) 424 canexecute the formal operation. In a scenario in which the outcome of theformal operation indicates the ID code or token identifies a femto APthat is authorized to establish a wireless connection to home gatewaynode 402, connectivity manager 408 classifies home gateway node 402 asavailable. Connectivity manager 408 deliver (e.g, broadcast, multicast,or unicast) an indication that home gateway node 402 is either availableor not available to establish a wireless connection with a femto AP. Inanother aspect, when home gateway node 402 is available to establish awireless connection, connectivity manager component 408 can establishsuch wireless connection, wherein the wireless connection can include apacket-based protocol tunnel (e.g., VPN tunnel based on one of IPSecprotocol or GPRS Tunnel Protocol).

Home gateway node 402 can communicate wirelessly through a communicationplatform (not shown), and respective antenna(s) (not shown), thatoperates in substantially the same manner as communication platform 304.The communication platform (not shown) in home gateway node 402 includesat least the same functional elements (components, antennas, mod/demod,coder/decoder, multimode chipset(s), etc.) as the communication platform304. Additionally, peripheral interface 412 operates in substantiallythe same manner as peripheral interface 324; peripheral interface 412includes at least a set of ports that enable connection of home gatewaynode 402 to a set of wireline CPE; the CPE includes at least onefemtocell AP.

As described supra, in certain embodiments, femtocell wireless servicecan be preserved, in part, through establishment of a peer-to-peerwireless telecommunication channel amongst home gateway nodes. FIG. 5illustrates an example embodiment 500 of a home gateway node that canenable retention of femtocell wireless service based in part onpeer-to-peer communication and in accordance with aspects of the subjectdisclosure. In example embodiment 500, monitor component 504 operates inthe same or substantially the same manner as monitor component 316. Inan aspect, monitor component 504 can evaluate performance of a backhaullink connection amongst home gateway 502 and a gateway node within afemto network platform (e.g., 202). Monitor component 504 can determineat least one performance condition and compare the at least oneperformance condition with a group of performance thresholds. Based atleast on the comparison, monitor component 504 can evaluate performanceof the telecommunication channel. The performance threshold can beretained as part of performance threshold(s) 522, which is a memoryelement (register, database, file, etc.) within memory 340. In anotheraspect, to evaluate performance of the backhaul link connection, monitorcomponent 504 can assess one or more performance conditions of apacket-based protocol tunnel (e.g., a VPN tunnel based on IPSec or GPRSTunnel Protocol) and compare the one or more performance conditions to aset of performance thresholds, which can be part of performancethreshold(s) 522.

In a scenario in which performance of the backhaul link connectionamongst home gateway 502 and a gateway node within a femto networkplatform (e.g., 202) is deficient, e.g., below a predeterminedthreshold, scanner component 508 can detect one or more home gatewaynodes that operate in a wireless environment surrounding home gatewaynode 502. In addition, scanner component 508 can establish a wirelesstelecommunication channel with a detected home gateway node that isavailable to support such wireless telecommunication channel. Scannercomponent 508 operates in the same or substantially the same manner asscanner component 320. In an aspect, scanner component 508 can determineif a detected home gateway node can allow a wireless telecommunicationchannel. For instance, scanner component 508 can transmit a request forservice to the detected home gateway node. In response, scannercomponent 508 can receive an acknowledgement (ACK) signal in case thehome gateway node has radio resources (e.g., available bandwidth) orprocessing resources (processor capacity, available memory, etc.) toenable the wireless telecommunication channel. If the detected homegateway node is unable to establish the wireless telecommunicationchannel, scanner component 508 can receive a no-acknowledgement (NACK)signal or any other type of rejection indication. As described supra, aconnectivity manager (e.g., 408) in the detected home gateway node canassess availability condition thereof and deliver an indication (ACKsignal, NACK signal) accordingly.

In home gateway node 502, configuration component 404 can enable anetwork server (e.g., a provisioning server within OSS/BSS 238) toprovision a set of home gateway nodes and respective set of securitycredentials. As part of provision of such sets, identification (ID)codes or tokens for at least one home gateway node in the set of homegateway nodes can be stored in secondary connectivity list(s) 514;configuration component 404 can receive the ID codes or tokes and retainthem in secondary connectivity list(s) 514. In addition, credentialstorage 518 can retain the set of security credentials associated withthe set of home gateway nodes; configuration component 404 can receivethe set of security credentials and retain it in credential storage 518.In an aspect, credential storage 518 also can retain the content orsubstantially the content stored in credential storage 424, whilesecondary connectivity list(s) 514 also can retain the content orsubstantially the content of secondary connectivity list(s) 426. In oneor more embodiments, the set of security credentials includes at leastone encryption key, at least one encrypted authentication passcode, orthe like. As indicated supra, a security credential in the set ofsecurity credentials allows authentication of a home gateway node in theset of home gateway nodes with home gateway node 502 and vice versa.Integrity protocol 512 can include one or more protocols (Kerberos,RADIUS, Diameter, Light Weight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), etc.)that enable such authentication.

Home gateway node 502 can communicate wirelessly through a communicationplatform (not shown), and respective antenna(s) (not shown), thatoperates in substantially the same manner as communication platform 304.The communication platform (not shown) in home gateway node 502 includesat least the same functional elements (components, antennas, mod/demod,coder/decoder, multimode chipset(s), etc.) as the communication platform304.

In the illustrated embodiments, home gateway node 402 and home gatewaynode 502 includes processor(s) 416. The processor(s) 416 can beconfigured to enable or that enable, at least in part, the functionalityof substantially any or any component(s), interface(s), and so forth,within the home gateway node 402 or the home gateway node 502 inaccordance with one or more aspects of the described operation of suchhome gateway nodes. In home gateway node 402 and in home gateway node502, processor(s) 416 can be functionally coupled to each functionalelement (component, interface, memory, etc.) within home gateway node402 and to memory 420 through bus 421. In an aspect, the bus 421 can beembodied in at least one of a memory bus, a system bus, an address bus,a message bus, a power bus, or one or more reference link(s) orinterface(s). In example embodiments 400 and 500, processor(s) 416 isillustrated as external to the various functional elements(component(s), interface(s), etc.) of home gateway node 402 and homegateway node 502; however, in additional or alternative embodiment(s),processor(s) 416 can be distributed amongst a plurality of suchfunctional elements. In some embodiment(s), one or more functionalelements that comprise home gateway node 402 and home gateway node 502can reside within memory 420 as one or more sets of computer-executablecode instructions that, when executed by processor(s) 416, implement thevarious functional elements and described functionality thereof.

Processor(s) 416 also can supply information to and retrieve informationfrom memory 420. Such information can enable, at least in part,operation of or can provide, at least in part, functionality tocommunication platforms (not shown) that are part, respectively, of homegateway node 402 and home gateway node 502, and at least a portion offunctional elements that are part of the communication platforms. Inaddition, such information also can enable, at least in part, operationof or can provide, at least in part, functionality to other operationalcomponents (not shown) of home gateway node 402 or home gateway node502. The information can include at least one of code instructions, codestructure(s), data structures, or the like.

Processor(s) 416 can execute computer-executable code instructions (notshown) stored in memory 420, for example within application storage (notshown), or other memory(ies) functionally coupled to home gateway node402 or home gateway node 502, to provide, at least in part, thedescribed functionality of home gateway node 402 or home gateway node502. Such computer-executable code instructions can include programmodules or software applications or firmware applications that implementvarious methods described in the subject disclosure and associated, atleast in part, with functionality or operation of home gateway node 402or home gateway node 502.

In addition to the various memory elements described supra, memory 420also can retain, at least in part in the foregoing application storage(not shown), at least one of data structures (e.g., objects, classes,metadata); code structure(s) (e.g., modules, procedures) or codeinstructions; or substantially any type of software application(s) orfirmware application(s) that processor(s) 416 can execute to enable, atleast in part, functionality associated with substantially any or anycomponent(s), interface(s), or functional element(s) within home gatewaynode 402 or home gateway node 502 in accordance with aspects describedherein. In addition, memory 420 can store network or device information,e.g., within data storage (not shown), such as one or more communicationprotocol(s) or technical specification(s) for communication withdisparate home gateway nodes or femtocell AP(s). Moreover, memory 420can retain content(s) such as multimedia files or subscriber-generateddata. Memory 420 can include affixed or removable elements such asmemory card(s). In one or more embodiments, at least a portion of memory420 and content thereof can be external to home gateway node 402 or homegateway node 502 and linked thereto via a peripheral interface.

FIG. 6 represents an example embodiment 600 of a gateway node thatenables retention of femtocell wireless service in accordance withaspects described herein. Gateway node 604 can embody a gateway node inthe set of one or more gateway node(s) 204. Connectivity managercomponent 610, also referred to as connectivity manager 610 in thesubject disclosure and annexed drawings, enables gateway node 604 toestablish a plurality of packet-based protocol tunnels (e.g., VPNtunnel) per femtocell AP; for instance, connectivity manager 610associates an ID code or token the femto AP with more than one VPNtunnel. Accordingly, gateway node 604 can exchange data and signalingwith the femto AP via more than one VPN tunnel. In addition,connectivity manager 610 can switch from a first packet-based protocoltunnel associated with a femto AP to a second packet-based protocoltunnel associated with the femto AP. Upon or after switching from thefirst packet-based protocol tunnel to the second packet-based protocoltunnel, connectivity manager 610 can maintain an access list linked tothe femto AP irrespective of switching to the second packet-basedprotocol tunnel; the access list can be part of access list(s) 640,which is a memory element (register, database, file, etc.) within memory216. In an aspect, connectivity manager 610 can receive signaling (e.g.,an indication) that a current telecommunication channel with a femto APis to be switched to an updated telecommunication channel. In responseto such signaling, connectivity manager 610 can direct a routingcomponent 620 to receive and deliver traffic and signaling to the femtoAP via the updated telecommunication channel. In another aspect,connectivity manager 610 can receive signaling (e.g., an indication) toexchange traffic and signaling with a femto AP via a plurality oftelecommunication channels; in response to such signaling, connectivitymanager 610 can direct routing component 620 to receive and delivertraffic and signaling to the femto AP via the plurality oftelecommunication channels.

In addition or in the alternative, gateway node 604 can determinerouting of terminating traffic or signaling to a femto AP. In an aspect,connectivity manager 610 can monitor performance of one or moretelecommunication channels (e.g., VPN tunnel) and, based at least on theperformance, route traffic or signaling via a specific telecommunicationchannel; for instance, connectivity manager 610 can determined whether atelecommunication channel is active, inactive, or performinginadequately (as measured via one or more KPIs). For a telecommunicationchannel that is inactive or performing inadequately, connectivitymanager 610 can exploit at least one routing criteria to select atelecommunication channel and direct routing component 620 to deliverand receive traffic through the selected telecommunication channel. Theat least one routing criteria can be part of routing criteria 630, whicha memory element (register, database, file, etc.) within memory 216.

In the illustrated embodiment, a processor (not shown) that is part ofserver(s) 208 can be configured to enable or can enable, at least inpart, the functionality of gateway node 604 or one or more componentstherein. To at least such end, and as described supra, the processor(not shown) can execute one or more sets of computer-executable codeinstructions stored in memory 216. In alternative or additionalembodiments, one or more of connectivity manager 610 or routingcomponent 620 can reside within memory 216, stored as one or more setsof computer-executable code instructions that can be executed by theprocessor (not shown) to implement the functionality of suchcomponent(s) as described supra. In certain embodiments, gateway node604 can include or be functionally coupled to at least one processorconfigured to enable or that can enable, at least in part, thefunctionality of gateway node 604 or one or more components therein. Toat least that end, the at least one processor can operate in the same orsubstantially the same manner as the processor (not shown) that is partof server(s) 208 and has been described supra.

As described supra, to enable retention of femtocell wireless service, anetwork server can provision at least one femtocell AP or at least onehome gateway node. In addition, retention of such service also includesmonitoring of performance of backhaul link(s) and relatedtelecommunication channels (e.g., VPN tunnels). FIG. 7 illustrates anexample embodiment 700 of OSS/BSS 238 in accordance with aspectsdescribed herein. Provisioning server(s) 704 can include at least oneserver that can provision at least one a group of home gateway nodes anda group of femtocell access points that can be employed to retainfemtocell wireless service as described herein. The at least one servercan provision each of such groups in accordance with a specific policy,which can be retained in policy storage 714; in an embodiment, a serverwithin provisioning server(s) 704 can enable to configure the specificpolicy. In one or more scenarios, the at least one server provisionseach of such groups at a time of or after installation of a femtocellaccess point and prior to activation of a femto AP linked to at leastone of such groups. It should be appreciated that in alternativescenarios, at least one of the group of home gateway nodes or the groupof femtocell APs can be provision after activation of the femto APlinked to at least one of such groups. Configuration of a policy caninclude at least one of generation, deletion, or modification, storagein memory, integration, or the like. In an aspect, the at least oneserver can supply a list that identifies each home gateway node in thegroup of home gateway nodes or a list that identifies each femtocell APin the group of femtocell APs. Such list(s) can be delivered to a homegateway node or a femtocell AP. In addition, the at least one server cansupply one or more security credentials (encryption key(s), encryptedpasscode(s), etc.) associated with one or more of the group of homegateway nodes or the group of femtocell access points; the one or moresecurity credentials are delivered to the home gateway node or thefemtocell AP that receives the foregoing list(s). Credential storage 716can retain the one or more security credentials.

Provisioning server(s) 704 also can include at least one server thatconfigures, at least in part, one or more secondary telecommunicationchannels (e.g., VPN channel(s), wireless channels) amongst a first homegateway node and a second gateway node. In addition, the at least oneserver can configure one or more secondary telecommunication channels(e.g., VPN channel(s), wireless channels) amongst a home gateway nodeand a fetmocell AP.

In the illustrated example embodiment, OSS/BSS 238 can include a monitorcomponent 708 that can assess performance of a plurality of packet-basedprotocol tunnels (e.g., VPN tunnels) per femtocell AP; the plurality ofpacket-based protocol tunnels can be established amongst the femtocellAP and a gateway node via at least one home gateway node. Monitorcomponent 708 also can report such performance; e.g., deliver or storedata that records such performance. In certain embodiments, monitorcomponent 708 can be part of provisioning server(s) 704. Monitorcomponent 708 can gauge performance with respect to a set of performancethresholds. A performance threshold in the set of performance thresholdscan be specific to a type of telecommunication performance, e.g., radioresource availability, processing availability, data and signaltransport quality, connection reliability, etc. In one or moreembodiments, a key performance indicator (KPIs) characterizes a type oftelecommunication performance.

A server in provisioning server(s) 704 can include one or moreprocessors (not shown) configured to enable, or that enable, at leastpart of the functionality of the provisioning server(s) 704. The one ormore processor can be integrated in or functionally coupled to theserver. To enable at least part of the described functionality of theserver, the one or more processors can execute one or more sets ofcomputer-executable code instructions (not shown) stored in memory 712,or other memory accessible to the one or more processors. The one ormore sets of computer-executable code instructions can include programmodule(s) or software application(s) or firmware application(s) that,when executed by the one or more processors (not shown), implementspecific tasks which can be accomplished through at least one of theexample methods described in the subject disclosure and that areassociated, at least in part, with functionality of the server in theprovisioning server(s) 704. In certain embodiments, a server in theprovisioning server(s) 704 can be embodied, at least in part, in one ormore sets of computer-executable code instructions stored in a memory(e.g., 712) accessible to the one or more processors (not shown); whenexecuted by the one or more processors, the one or more sets ofcomputer-executable code instructions implement the server and itsfunctionality.

In one or more embodiments, a server in provisioning server(s) 704 caninclude input/output (I/O) interface(s) (not shown) that enable, atleast in part, networked communication. Memory 712 can be a centralizedelement or a distributed element.

In view of the example systems described above, example methods that canbe implemented in accordance with the disclosed subject matter can bebetter appreciated with reference to FIGS. 8-11. For purposes ofsimplicity of explanation, various methods disclosed herein arepresented and described as a series of acts; however, it is to beunderstood and appreciated that the claimed subject matter is notlimited by the order of acts, as some acts may occur in different orderand/or concurrently with other acts from that shown and describedherein. It is noted that not all illustrated acts may be required toimplement a described method in accordance with the subjectspecification. In addition, for example, one or more methods disclosedherein could alternatively be represented as a series of interrelatedstates or events, such as in a state diagram. Moreover, interactiondiagram(s) or call flow(s) represent several of the example methodsdisclosed herein in accordance with the described subject matter;particularly in instances when disparate entities, or functionalelements, enact disparate portions of one or more of the severalmethods. Furthermore, two or more of the disclosed example methods canbe implemented in combination, to accomplish one or more features oradvantages described in the subject disclosure.

Methods disclosed throughout the subject specification and annexeddrawings are capable of being stored on an article of manufacture (e.g.,a removable volatile memory or non-volatile memory) to facilitatetransporting and transferring such methods to computers for execution,and thus implementation, by a processor, or for storage in a memory. Inan aspect, one or more processors, such as processor(s) that enact theone or more method described herein, can be employed to execute codeinstructions retained in a memory (volatile or non-volatile), or anycomputer- or machine-readable storage medium, to implement one or moreof the method described herein. Such code instructions provide acomputer- or machine-executable framework to enact the various methodsdescribed herein.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of an example method 800 for providing femtocellservice through a secondary channel according to an aspect of thesubject disclosure. In one or more embodiments, a home gateway node, orone or more component(s) therein, can implement, at least in part, thesubject example method. In alternative or additional embodiments, afemtocell AP can implement (e.g., execute) the subject example method.In an aspect, one or more processors configured to provide or thatprovide at least part of the functionality to the home gateway node orthe femtocell AP also can enact, at least in part, the subject examplemethod. In a further aspect, in scenarios in which the one or morecomponents of the home gateway node or the femtocell AP are embodied inone or more sets of code instructions stored in a memory, at least oneprocessor that executes the one or more sets of code instructions, canenact the subject example method.

At act 810, at least one performance condition of a primary backhaullink connection is monitored. As described supra, a performancecondition can be characterized by one or more KPIs that can convey stateof connectivity and features of traffic and signaling associatedthereto. In one or more embodiments, monitoring the performancecondition of the primary backhaul link connection includes evaluating atleast one KPI related to the primary backhaul link. At act 820, it isdetermined if the at least one performance condition is below aperformance threshold. At act 830, a telecommunication channel isestablished through at least a secondary backhaul link connection. Asindicated supra, the telecommunication channel can be a packet-basedprotocol tunnel, such as a VPN tunnel based on IPSec or GPRS TunnelProtocol (GTP).

FIGS. 9-10 present flowcharts of example methods 900 and 1000,respectively, for establishing a telecommunication channel through asecondary backhaul link connection according to aspects describedherein. The subject example methods can embody act 830. A femtocell AP,or one or more components therein, can effect (e.g., execute) examplemethod 900. In another aspect, one or more processors configured toprovide or that provide at least part of the functionality to thefemtocell AP also can enact, at least in part, the example method 900.At act 910, a current home gateway with an active backhaul linkconnection is identified. Identifying the current home gateway caninclude scanning a wireless environment in vicinity of the femtocell APthat effects the subject example method, and processing (e.g., decoding,analyzing, or storing) pilot signal(s) collected as part of thescanning.

At act 920, it is determined if the current home gateway available toestablish a telecommunication channel (a packet-based protocol channel,such as a VPN channel, for example) through the active backhaul linkconnection. In an aspect, the determining includes transmitting arequest for service to the current home gateway and receiving a response(e.g., an indication) that conveys if the current home gateway isavailable to establish the telecommunication channel through the activebackhaul link connection. As described supra, if the current homegateway has radio resources (e.g., available bandwidth) or processingresources (processor capacity, available memory, etc.) to enable thesecondary backhaul link connection, the response can be affirmative,such as an ACK signal or a reply message (e.g., a Diameter message) thatindicates availability of the current home gateway. In contrast, if thecurrent home gateway node is unable to establish the secondary backhaullink connection, the response can be negative, e.g., ano-acknowledgement (NACK) signal or any other type of rejection message.

A negative outcome of the determination at act 920 leads to act 930, atwhich an alternative home gateway with an active backhaul linkconnection is identified. At act 940, the alternative home gateway isconfigured as the current home gateway. In an aspect, the configurationis logical and enables screening additional home gateway(s) with anactive backhaul link connection. As an example, the configuring includessetting a logic variable a value that indicates the alternative homegateway is to be processed as a current home gateway. In thealternative, a positive outcome at act 920 leads to act 950, at whichattachment to the current home gateway is performed. In an aspect, thefemtocell AP that implements the subject example method attaches to thecurrent home gateway; attachment is wireless and can be effectedaccording one of various radio communication protocols. In addition, theattaching includes authenticating access to the femtocell AP from thecurrent home gateway node, and authenticating access from the femtocellAP to the current home gateway node; the authenticating exploits atleast one security credential provisioned to the femtocell AP and thecurrent home gateway node. At act 960, the telecommunication channel isconfigured through the active backhaul link connection.

Regarding example method 1000, in an aspect, a home gateway node, or oneor more components therein, can effect (e.g., execute) the subjectexample method. In another aspect, one or more processors configured toprovide or that provide at least part of the functionality to the homegateway node also can enact, at least in part, the subject examplemethod. At act 1010, a current home gateway with an active primarybackhaul link connection is identified. Identifying the current homegateway can include scanning a wireless environment in vicinity of thehome gateway node that effects example method 1000, and processing(e.g., decoding, analyzing, or storing) wireless pilot signal(s)collected as part of the scanning. A component (e.g., scanner component508) in the home gateway node that effects the subject example method1000 can execute, at least in part, the subject act. At act 1020, it isdetermined if the current home gateway node is available to establish asecondary backhaul link connection. In an aspect, the determiningincludes transmitting a request for service to the current home gatewayand receiving a response (e.g., an indication) that conveys if thecurrent home gateway is available to establish the secondary backhaullink connection. As described supra, if the current home gateway hasradio resources (e.g., available bandwidth) or processing resources(processor capacity, available memory, etc.) to enable the secondarybackhaul link connection, the response can be affirmative, such as anACK signal or a reply message (e.g., a Diameter message) that indicatesavailability of the current home gateway. In contrast, if the currenthome gateway node is unable to establish the secondary backhaul linkconnection, the response can be negative, e.g., a no-acknowledgement(NACK) signal or any other type of rejection message.

A negative outcome of the determination at act 1020 leads to act 1030,at which an alternative home gateway with an active primary backhaullink connection is identified. At act 1040, the alternative home gatewayis configured as the current home gateway. In an aspect, theconfiguration is logical and enables screening additional homegateway(s) with an active backhaul link connection. As an example, theconfiguring includes setting a logic variable a value that indicates thealternative home gateway is to be processed as a current home gateway.In the alternative, a positive outcome at act 1020 leads to act 1050, atwhich the secondary backhaul link connection is established. At act1060, a telecommunication channel (e.g., a VPN tunnel) with a femtocellAP via the secondary backhaul link connection is enabled.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of an example method 1100 for enabling atelecommunication channel with a femtocell through a secondary backhaullink connection according to aspects described herein. The subjectexample method can embody act 1060. Accordingly, functional element(s)(component(s), home gateway nodes, etc.) that can implement examplemethod 900 also can implement the subject example method. At act 1110,configuration, or establishment, of a secondary backhaul link connectionis signaled (e.g., an indication is delivered) to a femtocell AP. At act1120, a request to configure a telecommunication channel is receivedfrom the femtocell AP. As indicated supra, the telecommunication channelcan be a packet-based protocol tunnel, such as a VPN tunnel based onIPSec or GTP. At act 1130, the telecommunication channel is configuredin response to the request.

Various advantages emerge from the aspects or features described in thesubject disclosure. For example, customer satisfaction is improvedthrough allowance of always-on connectivity. In addition, such always-onconnectivity can provided differently to different customer segments.Always-on or substantially always-on connectivity also preserves revenuefor the service provider or network operators, since outage ofusage-based services can be mitigated or avoided even in scenarios inwhich a primary WAN VPN connection is compromised (e.g., lost). Asanother example, applications and related services that are bandwidthintensive can be supported without substantive detriment to performanceof the service; a plurality of telecommunication channels (e.g., VPNtunnels) can enable such applications and related services. Accordingly,the subject disclosure can enable new revenue generation. As yet anotherexample, interaction of subscribers with customer support staff thatgenerally can result from loss of service or related problems can bemitigated or eliminated. Thus, service provider costs can be reduced. Inthe subject disclosure, enablement of the always-on or substantiallyalways-on connectivity does not cause changes to femtocell deploymentarchitectures and preserves aspects of management and provisioning of IDcodes or tokens of wireless devices that can be part of an accesscontrol list associated with deployed femtocell APs. Accordingly, thevarious features or aspects described herein are superior to solutionfor always-on connectivity that rely on connection amongst disparatefemtocell access points or connection amongst a wireless device servedby a primary femto AP and a secondary femto AP.

As it is employed in the subject disclosure, the term “processor” canrefer to substantially any computing processing unit or devicecomprising, but not limited to comprising, single-core processors;single-processors with software multithread execution capability;multi-core processors; multi-core processors with software multithreadexecution capability; multi-core processors with hardware multithreadtechnology; parallel platforms; and parallel platforms with distributedshared memory. Additionally, a processor can refer to an integratedcircuit, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a digitalsignal processor (DSP), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), aprogrammable logic controller (PLC), a complex programmable logic device(CPLD), a discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardwarecomponents, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functionsdescribed herein. Processors can exploit nano-scale architectures suchas, but not limited to, molecular and quantum-dot based transistors,switches and gates, in order to optimize space usage or enhanceperformance of user equipment. A processor may also be implemented as acombination of computing processing units.

In the subject specification and annexed drawings, terms such as“store,” “data store,” “data storage,” “database,” “repository,” andsubstantially any other information storage component relevant tooperation and functionality of a component, refer to “memorycomponents,” or entities embodied in a “memory” or components comprisingthe memory. It will be appreciated that the memory components describedherein can be either volatile memory or nonvolatile memory, or caninclude both volatile and nonvolatile memory. In addition, memoryelements described herein can be affixed, removable, or a combinationthereof.

By way of illustration, and not limitation, nonvolatile memory caninclude read only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), electricallyprogrammable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable ROM (EEPROM), or flashmemory. Volatile memory can include random access memory (RAM), whichacts as external cache memory. By way of illustration and notlimitation, RAM is available in many forms such as synchronous RAM(SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), double data rateSDRAM (DDR SDRAM), enhanced SDRAM (ESDRAM), Synchlink DRAM (SLDRAM), anddirect Rambus RAM (DRRAM). Additionally, the disclosed memory componentsof systems or methods herein are intended to comprise, without beinglimited to comprising, these and any other suitable types of memory.

Various aspects or features described herein may be implemented as amethod, apparatus, or article of manufacture using standard programmingand/or engineering techniques. In addition, various aspects disclosed inthe subject specification can also be implemented through codeinstructions, or program modules, stored in a memory and executed by aprocessor, or other combination of hardware and software, or hardwareand firmware. The term “article of manufacture” as used herein isintended to encompass a computer program accessible from anycomputer-readable device, carrier, or media. For example, computerreadable media can include but are not limited to magnetic storagedevices (e.g., hard disk, floppy disk, magnetic strips . . . ), opticaldisks (e.g., compact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD), blu-raydisc (BD) . . . ), smart cards, and flash memory devices (e.g., card,stick, key drive . . . ).

It should be appreciated that while various aspects, features, oradvantages described herein have been illustrated through femtocellaccess point(s) and associated coverage, such aspects or features alsocan be exploited in confined-coverage access point(s) that providewireless coverage through substantially any or any disparatetelecommunication technologies, such as for example Wi-Fi (wirelessfidelity) or picocell telecommunication. Moreover, aspects, features, oradvantages of the subject disclosure can be exploited in substantiallyany wireless telecommunication, or radio, technology; for example,Wi-Fi, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), EnhancedGeneral Packet Radio Service (Enhanced GPRS), 3GPP LTE, 3GPP2 UMB, 3GPPUMTS, HSPA, HSDPA, HSUPA, or LTE Advanced. Furthermore, substantiallyall aspects of the subject disclosure can include legacytelecommunication technologies. Further yet, various aspects, features,or advantages of the subject disclosure are described in connection witha home gateway node. However, such aspects, features, or advantages, canbe accomplished for substantially any CPE that serves as a local gatewaydevice or local gateway node for a confined-coverage AP, even thoughsuch CPE can be deployed in an enterprise facility (e.g., a factory, anoffice building . . . ) rather than a home.

What has been described above includes examples of systems and methodsthat provide advantages of the subject disclosure. It is, of course, notpossible to describe every conceivable combination of components ormethodologies for purposes of describing the subject disclosure, but oneof ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many furthercombinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter arepossible. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “includes,” “has,”“possesses,” and the like are used in the detailed description, claims,appendices and drawings such terms are intended to be inclusive in amanner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpretedwhen employed as a transitional word in a claim.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: determining, by a systemcomprising a processor, a change in a performance condition associatedwith a first communication path between a mobile device and adestination device, wherein the first communication path comprises afirst backhaul link between a first gateway device and a first accessnetwork device; initiating, by the system, establishing a link betweenthe first gateway device and a second gateway device; initiating, by thesystem, establishing a second backhaul link between the second gatewaydevice and a second access network device; initiating, by the system,establishing a second communication path between the mobile device andthe destination device, wherein the second communication path comprisesthe link, and the second backhaul link; and transitioning, by thesystem, a communication from the first communication path to the secondcommunication path based on the change in the performance condition. 2.The method of claim 1, wherein the initiating the establishing of thelink between the first gateway device and the second gateway devicecomprises initiating the establishing of a wireless link between thefirst gateway device and the second gateway device.
 3. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the initiating the establishing of the link between thefirst gateway device and the second gateway device comprises initiatingthe establishing of a wired link between the first gateway device andthe second gateway device.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein thedetermining the change in the performance condition comprisesdetermining that the first backhaul link has become disconnected.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the determining the change in the performancecondition comprises determining that the first backhaul link remainsconnected and that a measured performance of the first backhaul linkdoes not satisfy a determined performance metric.
 6. The method of claim5, wherein the determining that the measured performance of the firstbackhaul link does not satisfy the determined performance metriccomprises the first backhaul link being determined to be intermittentlydisconnected.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the transitioning thecommunication comprises moving all communications of the firstcommunication path to the second communication path.
 8. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the transitioning the communication comprises moving asubset of communications of the first communication path to the secondcommunication path, and wherein the subset of communications arecommunicated via the first communication path and the secondcommunication path.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the link is afirst link, the first communication path further comprises a second linkbetween the mobile device and a femtocell access point device having athird link to the first gateway device.
 10. The method of claim 9,wherein the initiating the establishing of the second communication pathcomprises initiating the establishing of the second communication pathto comprise the first link, the second link, the third link, and thesecond backhaul link.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the initiatingthe establishing the second communication path comprises initiating afirst linking of the mobile device and the femtocell access pointdevice, bypassing the first gateway device, and initiating a secondlinking of the femtocell access point device to the second gatewaydevice.
 12. A system, comprising: a processor; and a memory that storesexecutable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitateperformance of operations, comprising: determining a change in aperformance condition associated with a first communication path betweena mobile device and a destination device, wherein the firstcommunication path comprises a first backhaul link between a firstgateway device and an access network device; in response to the changein performance condition, facilitating establishment of a link betweenthe first gateway device and a second gateway device; in furtherresponse to the change in performance condition, facilitatingestablishment of a second backhaul link between the second gatewaydevice and the access network device; in response to determining thatperformance of the second backhaul link satisfies a performance rule,facilitating establishment of a second communication path between themobile device and the destination device, wherein the secondcommunication path comprises the link, and the second backhaul link; andtransitioning a communication from the first communication path to thesecond communication path.
 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the linkbetween the first gateway device and the second gateway device comprisesa wired link.
 14. The system of claim 12, wherein the change inperformance indicates that the first backhaul link remains operationaland is not performing to a defined performance level.
 15. The system ofclaim 12, wherein the link is a first link, the first communication pathfurther comprises a second link between the mobile device and afemtocell device comprising a third link to the first gateway device,and the second communication path comprises the first link between thefirst gateway device and the second gateway device, the second linkbetween the mobile device and the femtocell device, the third linkbetween the femtocell device and the first gateway device, and thesecond backhaul link.
 16. The system of claim 12, wherein the link is afirst link, the first communication path further comprises a second linkbetween the mobile device and a femtocell device comprising a third linkto the first gateway device, and the second communication path comprisesthe second link between the mobile device and the femtocell device, afourth link between the femtocell device and the second gateway devicebypassing the third link between the femtocell device and the firstgateway device, and the second backhaul link between the second gatewaydevice and the access network device.
 17. A computer readable storagedevice comprising executable instructions that, in response toexecution, cause a system comprising a processor to perform operations,comprising: determining a change in a performance condition associatedwith a first communication path between a customer premises device and acarrier device, wherein the first communication path comprises a firstbackhaul link between a first customer premises gateway device and anaccess network device; in response to the change in performancecondition, initiating establishment of a second backhaul link between asecond gateway device and the access network device, and initiatingestablishment of a second communication path between the customerpremises device and the carrier device, wherein the second communicationpath comprises a link between the first gateway device and the secondgateway device, and further comprises the second backhaul link; andtransitioning a communication from the first communication path to thesecond communication path.
 18. The computer readable storage device ofclaim 17, wherein the change in the performance condition is related toan unsatisfactory performance, but not failure, determined to beexhibited by the first backhaul link.
 19. The computer readable storagedevice of claim 17, wherein the initiating the establishment of thesecond communication path between the customer premises device and thecarrier device comprises initiating the establishment of a link betweenthe customer premises device and a femtocell device, between thefemtocell device and the first gateway device, between the first gatewaydevice and the second gateway device, and further comprises the secondbackhaul link.
 20. The computer readable storage device of claim 17,wherein the initiating the establishment of the second communicationpath between the customer premises device and the carrier devicecomprises initiating the establishment of other links between thecustomer premises device and a femtocell device, between the femtocelldevice and the second gateway device bypassing the first gateway device,and between the second gateway device and the access network device viathe second backhaul link.